


Fire, Water, and Rock

by Pentimento



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe, Camping, F/F, Geology, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Older Woman/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:22:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 43
Words: 96,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22976092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pentimento/pseuds/Pentimento
Summary: When a geologist shows up for the summer to work on her thesis, it creates turmoil for Park Ranger Carol Ross.
Relationships: Carol Aird & Therese Belivet, Carol Aird/Therese Belivet
Comments: 4428
Kudos: 1175





	1. The Arsonist

"It is where scientists bow in reverence to a master mind 

And where the world's geologists disagree 

It's where the skeptic and infidel stand appalled 

And the atheist rides leagues to see."

— Charles T. Giezentanner, the first caretaker of Dry Falls

* * *

The last few steps were the worst, calves screaming with exertion from the trek up the nearly vertical 400-foot cliff, shirt soaked with perspiration, breaths coming ragged and fast. Flopping down on the clifftop’s dry ground caused a cloud of dust to billow up, immediately carried by the hot wind. The dirt blew away from the drop, covering the rocks and brush atop with another thin layer of debris. 

Her eyes, however, missed all this happening. They remained focused northward up the three-and-a-half mile wide ravine where what had been a thin tendril of smoke on her way up now billowed thick and black, the utmost reaches beginning to dissipate along higher air currents. Licking flames rushed along the parched ground, swallowing up the canyon’s dry shrub-steppe vegetation as the wind pushed the fire onward. Even from up here, the ground that the fire had scorched stood out charcoal black against the otherwise rusty brown landscape. It was a quick burn. The temperatures had been in the 80s and 90s and had left little moisture in the ground. The red-orange flames consumed the low-lying brush rapidly, leaving nothing but blackened ground as the fire moved on.

She leaned back, her palms supporting her as her breathing evened out. It should have been plenty enough time, she thought. The sun hadn’t technically set, but it was now lower than the western cliff walls and signaled that the end of the day was not far off. She dragged her eyes from the fire and scanned the long highway hugging the opposite cliff as it descended steeply into the valley. It was quiet this time of the day since most people had already headed up to the dam for the laser light show. A few cars and one lone RV slowly made their way up the roadway, but not a single vehicle could be seen driving down into the valley.

She sighed. Anxiety suddenly gripped her and sent her heart and mind racing. Her breathing that had nearly returned to normal now bordered on hyperventilating. Rolling to one side, she reached her hand into her pocket of her Army green pants. It was still there. Pulling it from her pocket, she stared at it before wrapping her hand around it tightly, fingertips pressing small indentations into the thin cardboard. It comforted her somewhat. She tried to take a deep breath and scanned the highway again. Still no cars headed southbound, and she cursed under her breath even though no one was around. She waited.

Surely the smoke could be seen from Coulee City by now, if not further. Another five minutes passed before she faintly heard in the distance the wail that was sure to come: a long siren announced its impending arrival. She wondered why the one vehicle she was waiting for was not driving down the long highway back to the valley. Confused, a nauseating mixture of hurt and regret swelled inside her. She stood up, habitually brushed off her backside with her free hand, and fought back unwanted tears. She bent over and violently vomited onto the rocks and sagebrush. 

A rattlesnake’s unmistakable warning erupted somewhere behind her. Straightening up and glancing back, she spat, wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, and reluctantly decided to begin her descent before darkness fell. Steep talus slopes were a good place to break an ankle in the darkness.

Hesitating at the top of the trail, she slid back the lid of the small box in her left hand. Four perfect wooden matches lay in a neat row. One renegade blackened match lay diagonally on top of them. She slid the lid shut and began to stuff it back in her pocket, but thought better of it. She walked a few yards off the trail and lifted the edge of a large piece of basalt the diameter of a dinner plate. A few bugs twisted and scurried, their hiding spot rudely infiltrated by this stranger. Using her heel, she dug a shallow hole, dropped the box in, and pushed the dirt back on top of it. She let the rock fall back in place. Glancing around, she made sure the area looked just as it did prior, and then she made her way back to the path. Hurt and anger swirled like smoke inside her. 

The arsonist held back tears as she began her descent. 

* * *

Therese Belivet waited for an older Winnebago the color of a coffee stain to chug uphill the opposite way before pulling across the other lane into the overlook's parking lot. She pulled into the first available spot, only three spaces down from the Dry Falls Interpretive Center, and got out, slamming the Subaru Crosstrek's door and its air-conditioned interior behind her. She didn't bother locking the vehicle that held a summer’s worth of belongings; the lookout's edge was only a few feet away. 

She gazed across the expanse, hands on hips, duly impressed. The photos she had found online and in books certainly didn't do it justice. What stood before her in this rural, out-of-the-way, and relatively unknown area of eastern central Washington state was one of Earth's finest marvels: the greatest waterfall to have ever graced the planet. However, the 400-foot high falls that once rushed with a quantity ten times the flow of all the rivers of the world combined was now completely dry. Therese knew from her reading that it had been five times as wide as Niagara Falls, Niagara only being a mile wide and dropping a mere 167 feet. She let her eyes roam horizontally across the plateau-like top, down nearly vertical walls to the talus slopes, to where she finally admired the deep blue plunge pools dotting the valley floor below, the only water remaining of what once cascaded over the edges at a whopping 60-70 miles an hour. 

Far below, toward the southern part of the canyon, the verdant expanse of obviously irrigated vegetation caught her attention. Her eyes made out the long green fairways of a 9-hole golf course and the campground dotted with obviously non-native deciduous trees that happened to be her final destination.

The sun seared her back, and she felt the need to move. She walked around a girl taking a selfie to read a plaque about the area’s history. Most of the information etched on the weathered and worn plaques mirrored what she already knew, but she had trouble imagining floodwaters 300 feet above her head, as one plaque described. She was already standing at the top rim of the canyon. That meant the floodwaters had been 800 feet deep. Therese simply couldn’t wrap her mind around how massive the events that had created this area must have been.

Therese walked to the next plaque, noticeably newer than the previous plaques, and read with interest. The plaque described how the overlook had been dedicated to a ranger and firefighter who had lost her life in a blaze a few years back. Sad. Too young, thought Therese, noticing her birth date and realizing the woman had only been two years older than herself.

“Tragic,” a male voice said behind her. 

Therese turned to find a park ranger in uniform leaning against a handicapped parking sign watching her. The man straightened up, stepped up on the curb, and walked toward her. He peered down at her, his six-foot-plus frame dwarfing her. He was good looking, dark-haired and hazel-eyed, but everything about his body language told her he knew it. He invaded her space enough that she could smell his manly cologne and read his name badge: H. Aird.

“That was quite the fire. It’s too bad; she was a good ranger,” he said, his hands coming to rest on his service belt and his chest slightly puffing out as he leaned back. Although he was likely trying to be suave and charming, he came off smarmy and cocky.

Therese was not fond of random conversations with strangers, especially when she felt like they wanted something. And she quickly classified the beginning of this conversation into that category. She took a step back. 

After expressing her condolences, she managed to weather another four or five minutes of small talk revolving around the fire, the brave woman who had died fighting it, and his unabashed surprise that Therese planned to camp alone. Upon hearing that tidbit of information, his request followed: an offer to join Harge and some friends - yes, his name was Harge - at a party up near Steamboat Rock on Monday. He explained it was casual, just a Memorial Day barbecue and some drinks with his buddies, but he was ‘certain a pretty girl like her would enjoy herself.’ 

With forced politeness, Therese declined, twice, and finally retreated to the safety and serenity of her Subaru. Cranking the air conditioning to high, she watched him completely ignore all the other visitors sprinkled along the scenic vista’s edge as he ambled along to the visitor’s center. The cool air did nothing to dispel the unpleasant feeling the man gave her. She wondered how many young female campers actually fell for the good-looking man in uniform’s act over the course of a summer.


	2. The Ranger

As Carol snapped her firearm into its holster on her right hip, she mused on how long she had been doing the same thing. A bit of quick math told her that the upcoming Memorial Day would mark her nine-year anniversary of working as a commissioned law-enforcement officer at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park. She broke up the nine years into parts: three of those years had been educational, four of those years full of happiness, and two of those years… Well, she forced herself not to think about those years. 

How many times had she buttoned herself into a tan polyester uniform shirt? How many times had she slid into the drab, olive-green tactical pants? How many days had she lugged around her nine-pound belt? She had to admit she enjoyed attaching her gold name badge to her uniform each day. It gave her a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment, even after all this time. Even if her interest in her job was waning, her sense of duty was not. 

Fully dressed, she perched her sunglasses on top of her head and tucked stray blonde hairs behind her ears. The sunglasses wouldn’t be needed for a few more hours; the sun wasn’t even up yet, but if they were not on her head, she would forget them. The sky outside the living room window showed hints of pinks and reds as she walked by on her way to the kitchen. It was what her mother had called ‘a two-butt kitchen’, and anything in the kitchen could be reached by standing between the two counters. Carol couldn’t complain though. Housing was provided by the park, and not paying a mortgage or rent allowed her to put more of her paycheck into savings. 

She doctored the coffee she had poured in her travel mug, dropped the spoon in the sink, unplugged the coffee maker, and glanced around as she took her first hit of sweet, liquid caffeine. The small living room and two bedrooms felt like home after all this time, but she was just waiting for the administration to assign her a roommate or offer her single quarters. While they had been kind up until this point, she didn’t expect it would last much longer. Not after two years. She really didn’t use the second room anyway. It was mainly storage and housed two bicycles, one of which had a flat tire, some boxes of clothing that she never wore because they were more suitable for colder climates, and two suitcases despite the fact she couldn’t recall the last time she traveled. Carol was used to living in this house by herself, much in the way a favorite pair of jeans are comfortable, and the thought of living somewhere else or with someone upset her. On the other hand, spending time in the house also upset her, so fate (or rather the administration) would just have to play its hand, and she would have to live with it.

The activity would be picking up in the park starting today. Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of summer and was always one of their busiest times. She would get little sleep over the next few days. Long shifts included safety issues like patrolling roads and waterways, dealing with drinkers and underage drinkers, trying to maintain the park’s quiet hours when the party atmosphere got a bit rowdy, and - the worst of all - dealing with registration. Registration was one of her least favorite parts of the job. The ranger station’s window booth was small, and the fan that was supposed to keep them cool even smaller. With over 150 campsites, the lines could get long at times, both at the walk-up window and at the drive-up window. Campers got antsy and agitated having to wait in the heat, and she didn’t blame them. 

Knowing it would be a long and tedious day that she already dreaded, she grabbed her phone, her coffee, and her keys, and shot herself a look in the mirror by the door. Lifeless blue eyes stared back. She slammed the front door behind her, and got in her white truck with its light bar on top for the 30-second drive to the ranger station that she could have hit with an extra-base hit had she had a baseball and a bat.

* * *

A covered walkway leading up to the registration window ran the length of the small ranger station located at the entrance of the Sun Lakes State Park campground area. No campers waited in line for the walk-up window, Therese noticed. With its uninspired nomenclature, just across the main road stretched the park’s biggest lake, Park Lake, where kids and adults of all sizes dotted both the popular sandy beach and the shallows. The yellow ranger station was situated between the one-lane ingress and egress roads to the campgrounds, a simple asphalt lane passing on either side of the small building, the Checkpoint Charlie to the campground portion of the park. A red stop sign attached to the side of the building urged incoming cars to stop at the side window to register. 

Therese pulled the Subaru’s nose up to the stop sign, put the gearshift in Neutral, and let off the clutch. Rolling down her window, she fumbled in her backpack for the reservation confirmation she had printed before leaving Seattle. The sound of the ranger station’s window sliding open made her turn, but it was the sight her eyes discovered that made her attention stay.

“Do you have a reservation?” the ranger asked, leaning out the large window, her blue eyes piercing Therese. The uniform was one Therese had already seen, pressed tan shirt with olive pants, but it was the woman wearing it that captured Therese’s attention. Unlike Therese who was already starting to feel beads of sweat drip down her spine from the five seconds the window had been down, this woman looked perfectly and elegantly put together, down to her crisp uniform. Her blonde hair was pinned back in a simple roll except where a few baby curls escaped near the nape of her neck. 

“Y-yes,” Therese stammered, again returning to dig in her backpack. “I have the printout here somewhere,” she said over her shoulder, chiding herself for seeming so disorganized. 

“What’s your name? I don’t mind looking it up,” the woman said with a kind smile. 

“Therese Belivet,” Therese replied. _And what’s your name?_ asked Therese’s internal monologue. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the woman working the window. When the ranger turned toward her, Therese noticed the woman’s golden name badge pinned over her right breast: C. Ross.

“You’re with us for a while!” Ranger Ross exclaimed, finding Therese’s reservation. “Is that correct?”

“Yes, through Labor Day,” Therese confirmed. In just a couple days, it would be Memorial Day, the well-known weekend marking when summer begins. Her three-month stay in the State Park had to be formally approved and came with a few stipulations, but Therese didn’t mind in the least. Her sojourn here would give her what she needed for her thesis. 

_C,_ thought Therese, her mind returning to the ranger like a rubber ball tethered with an elastic string stretched taut to a paddle. _Charlotte? Christine? Carrie? Crystal. No, she definitely doesn’t look like a Crystal. Cynthia?_

“Would you like to pay the full charge or by the month?” C. Ross asked her, her long, shapely fingers hovering over her keyboard. Even her profile was beguiling. Her perfect nose, the high cheekbones, her long neck that peeked above the tan collar had Therese’s eyes wandering. 

“Um, full please,” Therese offered, snapping to attention and handing over her credit card, hoping the woman didn’t see the trembling in her hands that matched the breaths in her lungs. Therese inhaled deeply and tried to think of something other than the woman running her credit card. 

Therese closed her eyes and thought of the cost of this trip. The sum of her stay pleased her. Staying in a hotel or even a motel would have made this trip impossible. The inexpensive nightly fee for a campsite, however, was in her budget and it meant she was right here where she needed to be. Coin showers and flush toilets a short walk away might be slightly inconvenient, but she could think of worse places to spend three months. Although at the current moment she was melting, and she hadn’t even gotten out of her car. 

“Here you go.” The woman’s voice, low and soothing, pulled Therese’s eyes open. Therese thought she caught the glimmer of a smile from the ranger as she accepted her credit card, her receipt, a brochure about the state park, a map, and a half-sheet of campground dos-and-don’ts. The ranger wore a black, sporty watch on her thin wrist, the watch’s face large and masculine in contrast to the woman before her. She did not wear a wedding ring, Therese noticed.

“Fire danger is high this weekend, so no campfires are allowed,” the ranger cautioned apologetically. “Propane stoves are fine though. And here is how you get to your campsite.” She took a green pen and made a few scribbles before holding the map out for Therese to see. Therese blindly reached for the controls on her dash with her right hand and surreptitiously turned the AC fan up a few notches, although the sudden sound of blasting air gave her away.

“We are here. Just follow this road straight ahead,” C. Ross motioned with her pen, her attention shifting from Therese’s dashboard, “and then your campsite will be off to the left. Right here. Number 145.” She circled it for Therese. “Be sure and set your tent up on the dirt and not on the grass,” she warned. 

Therese would have legitimately done most anything the woman had asked her to do. 

“Welcome to Sun Lakes, Therese Belivet. I’m sure we’ll get to know each other quite well.” The woman smiled at her, her perfect teeth held beautifully between the slightest parenthetical creases around her mouth. Laugh lines deepened around her sky blue eyes, paradoxically making her more beautiful.

Therese smiled broadly and reluctantly shifted her vehicle into Drive.


	3. The Stakes

“You’ll want to stake that down.” 

Therese turned from setting up her propane stove on one end of her picnic table to see the blonde ranger standing at the edge of her campsite. 

The woman pointed to Therese’s tent. “It can get windy at night here.”

Therese glanced at her tent, already a greenhouse in the 90-degree temperature. Her eyes returned to the ranger, whose weight was on one leg. She held a clipboard in the crook of her arm. She was taller than Therese expected, her legs long and body trim. Worried that the ranger had just witnessed Therese’s brazen appraisal of her, Therese blushed to the tops of her ears and looked down at her boots. Therese thought a little wind would be welcome to cut through some of the heat.

“Oh, thanks,” Therese responded. She had tossed the stakes into the nylon tent bag and thrown them in the back of her Subaru. She didn’t think she would really need them with the weight of her queen-size air mattress and all her stuff stored in her tent, plus she hadn’t even thought to bring a mallet.

“Make sure all your food is locked up at night, otherwise you’ll have coons.” C. Ross didn’t blink when she said it, but simply tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. 

Therese suppressed a laugh. The cool and composed woman who didn’t seem capable of sweating was throwing around animal nicknames like a redneck. 

“Same with your garbage,” Carol added. “Make sure you put it in the locked containers on site. The coons will get into everything.”

 _Stop it. Just stop it._ Therese couldn't get over this creature uttering the words ‘coons’, and if the beautiful woman in front of her said it one more time, Therese was about to make a fool of herself. 

“Got it,” Therese said with a nod and pursed lips. 

“And stake that tent down.” The ranger winked at her and turned to go to the next campsite. 

* * *

Therese smiled and stood glued to the spot for a moment, eavesdropping on her neighbors who had to move a tent because they didn’t listen and had pitched it on the grass strip that separated the campsites. The ranger was both commanding and respectful, and Therese listened to her with interest. Her voice was low and soft, and one of the guys began pulling up the stakes on the offending tent almost as soon as the ranger moved on.

“I told you we weren’t supposed to set it up on the grass,” the shorter of the two guys humorously chastised the other as he watched him drag his tent off the grass.

“The grass is softer,” the taller of the two complained. ”I don’t know why we have to put the tent on the dirt and gravel.”

“It probably kills the grass. Why do you care, bro?” the first one countered. “You have a Therm-a-Rest. It’s not like you’re sleeping on the ground.”

“I think this is the spot that’s going to have the most shade in the morning though. Whatever. You could at least get me a beer instead of just watching me work,” the tall guy growled. 

His companion swung his legs from the picnic table and opened a red and white cooler. As he made eye contact with Therese, he held up a beer. “You want one, too?”

A bit surprised to have been caught observing, Therese stuttered her response. “Um, I...yeah. I guess so. Sure.” She walked around her picnic table and crossed through some brush into their campsite. “Thanks,” she said, taking the can, cracking it open, and taking a long swig of the lager. Considering that she had almost turned it down, she nearly groaned when the cool and refreshing beverage hit her throat. “I’m Therese.”

“I’m Dannie,” the shorter man stated, extending a hand still wet and icy cold. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled, wiping it on his cargo shorts. “This here is my brilliant brother, Phil.” Phil greeted her with a raise of his rubber mallet and an eye roll towards his brother.

“Is this your first time camping here?” Therese asked, still standing with Dannie and watching Phil finish.

“Yeah. It has been on our list of places to camp for a while though,” Dannie said. “Have you been here before?”

“No, first time,” Therese answered. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the ranger make a circuit, checking in with each campsite. 

“Are you camping alone or are you meeting friends?” Dannie asked. 

“It’s just me. I’m actually working on my thesis this summer, and I’m writing it on Dry Falls, so I thought there was no better place to do that than here.” Therese shrugged.

“That’s awesome,” Dannie acknowledged and seemed sincere when he said it. “We’re just here for two weeks. We have some hikes we want to do, some bike trails to check out, and mostly just want to swim and chill in the sun with some beers. I’ve heard it’s a pretty fun place during the summers. You’re always welcome to join us. I noticed you brought your bike, too.”

Therese glanced to where her beloved Trek was still in place on top of the Subaru. “I’d like that. From looking at the maps, I could probably just park my vehicle for the summer and use the bike to get everywhere.”

“Yeah, it’s not that big down here in the valley. If you want to go into town or up to Steamboat Rock, then your car is probably best.” Dannie finished his beer and crushed the can under his foot. “I wanted to drive past it on our way here, but we came from the opposite direction.” 

“You’re from Seattle?” Therese inquired. 

Dannie affirmed with a nod. “Ballard. We own a barbershop there. Someone has to trim the hipster’s beards for them,” he quipped. It was a joke he had clearly used before. 

Therese grinned. 

“How ‘bout you?” he asked.

“Same. Well, Fremont technically.”

“Are you studying at U Dub then?” Dannie asked, using the Pacific Northwest’s slang for the University of Washington.

“Yeah, I’m working on my Master of Science. I’m a Geology nerd,” she said sheepishly with a shrug.

“That’s cool,” Dannie said, a little too earnestly. 

Therese wondered if he was flirting with her. She had rarely been able to tell in similar situations, although her encounter earlier with Harge had been crystal clear. 

The nerd part was half-joke, half-truth. She was self-admittedly socially awkward and had difficulty reading others. As a waitress, she got hit on often, or at least that’s what her co-workers told her. Therese never seemed to be able to delineate when someone was just being nice and when someone was coming on to her. Now hyper-sensitive to the possibility he was flirting with her, she turned to go back to her campsite.

“I better finish unpacking before sunset. It was nice meeting you both. Thanks for the beer.” Therese delicately stepped over rocks and brush into her own campsite. 

“No problem,” Dannie said, his voice slightly raised to reach her. “Come by anytime if you want to join us for a bike ride.”

Thankful that he had said ‘us’ and not ‘me’, Therese dispelled the thought that she had been the recipient of flirtation. She suddenly felt humbled and embarrassed for even thinking about it. She knew that her chosen profession and beloved hobby was considered nerdy and likely made her less attractive to most people, but she loved what she did. Most people didn’t consider a love of rocks a turn on.

She rarely thought about it, but had she been asked, she would have said she considered herself average looking. Her pale skin consumed copious amounts of sunscreen and her straight dark hair was, well, just straight and dark. 

Of course others had complimented her looks, but how much could she trust her family or Richard? Richard told her she was beautiful, but she really had no curves to speak of as most men desired. Richard saw in her a candidate for a wife, and he lived with the image of that ideal, so he had trouble seeing anything else. He had trouble seeing her desire to forge ahead with her career she loved so much. He didn’t understand why she didn't want children. They had grown apart over the last year, evident by the fact that he had barely registered that she was going to be away for the entire summer. They hey hadn’t had sex in two months. 

Now that she really thought about the last fact, she wondered why it wasn’t an issue for him.

* * *

The long rays of the setting sun fell upon campers bent over gas grills or trudging toward the showers carrying towels and wearing wet bathing suits. Children who had expended far more energy than normal during the day now exhibited signs of being tired and cranky. Smells of grilled burgers and hot dogs wafted towards Therese’s campsite and her stomach growled. She pulled an unappetizing pre-made ham and cheese sandwich and a Diet Coke that she had bought on the drive from her cooler. 

The crowded campsite that had been nearly empty hours before was awash with cars, bikes, and pedestrians as everyone tried to find their home away from home. The din of the campground rose as families and friends who had spent the day on the water now gathered around for dinner. Adults’ alcoholic consumption that had started many hours before on the boats and beaches carried on seamlessly into the evening.

Ignoring most of the happenings, Therese made a shopping list of items she needed on the back of a gas station receipt. She had seen a small general store as she drove down into the valley. It was probably limited in selection and overpriced, but she would check it out tomorrow. If they didn’t have what she needed, she would drive into Coulee City or even Ephrata. 

Noticing her eyes begin to strain, she looked up. The sky had darkened considerably, night fast on its way. It was still very hot, and Therese hoped the night would provide some relief from the heat. Daydreaming, Therese found herself wondering what kind of hours the rangers worked. 

She flicked on the lamp above her, leaving it swaying on the metal arm she had attached to her picnic table. The lantern illuminated one end of the table, but not much more. The swinging fixture made the shadow of her pen dance. She scrawled ‘bug repellent’ as winged creatures quickly found her light attractive. 

She wouldn’t have to suffer the bugs long. It had been a long drive, and she intended to turn in early. She had much to do in the morning.

As 10:00 pm rolled around, a ranger vehicle appeared and slowly made its way down the rows of campsites. Therese’s heartbeat quickened. As promised, the campground’s quiet hours were strictly enforced, and the truck slowed or stopped to speak to parties loudly playing card games or blasting music along with their drinking. As the truck with its bar of lights atop crawled past Therese, she saw the silhouette of a man turn toward her. 

A quickly inflicted feeling of disappointment surprised and pervaded her.


	4. The Wind

Sleep came quickly once Therese adapted to the jumbled cacophony of babies’ cries and occasional laughter. She crashed in her tank top and shorts on top of her air mattress and sleeping bag, a sheen of perspiration covering her entire body. She had considered sleeping naked due to the heat, but the top of her tent was an open screen, a lovely square of stars above her which she could appreciate without winged intruders. She also didn’t want to risk a wandering camper peeking in and getting a show while taking a shortcut to the restrooms in the middle of the night. 

Therese awoke to a horrifying noise as her tent pitched wildly to the side, throwing her off her air mattress into the seam of the tent where the wall met the ground. She struggled to get back onto her air mattress, which was now half on top of her, as the wall of the tent smashed into her face. What sounded like a freight train nearly drowned out the sounds of items being tossed around the campground, startled shrieks, and a child’s terrified cry in the night. Managing to get back onto her air mattress in the center of the tent, she pushed her two duffel bags back into the corners where they had been stored. The tent rose again, dumping the bags squarely in her chest and pushing her backward, strewing their contents about. The wind howled louder, angry and foreboding. A force of nature had been unleashed, and she was not happy. The physical architecture of the canyon coalesced the wind, sending it rocketing along the coulee at glorious speeds toward the campground - and Therese had neglected to stake down her tent. 

Lying on her stomach Vitruvian Man style, Therese stretched out her extremities toward the four corners of the tent and tried to will it to somehow stay attached to the earth. Imagining her tent flying through the air like the house in The Wizard of Oz, Therese should have been amused, but she was not. She considered sleeping in her Subaru, but her tent would no doubt have little chance of staying put without her inside it. Plus, fleeing to the safety of the Subaru on the first night seemed cowardly and downright embarrassing. 

So Therese continued to hold down the fort, literally, as the winds raged and screamed through the canyon. She was shocked at how many decibels various differences in air temperature could conjure. With eyes squeezed tightly shut, Therese imagined herself lying beneath a train as it sped over the tracks above her. Her vivid imagination coupled with the sound effects surrounding her painted a picture she could clearly imagine. Her heart raced in her chest, and she felt breathless. Although she was fairly certain of her safety, she was still afraid. 

Therese didn’t know how many hours she lay like that. Exhaustion took over as the howling subsided. When she awoke, the campground was serenely quiet. The sun’s rays beat through the tent’s walls and had already raised the temperature inside to nearly unbearable. Therese was still face down, splayed out like an X.

* * *

“I thought about you last night.”

A smile hit Therese’s face before she even had time to turn around and look at the person who had spoken.

The blonde ranger had been watching Therese drive stakes into the ground with a large rock. To say she was smirking was an understatement. 

Coming up from her crouched position, Therese wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Therese’s sheepish grin must have amused her because the uniformed woman laughed and extended her hand. 

“I’m Carol.”

* * *

_Carol. Her name is Carol. Carol Ross. Ranger Carol Ross. Officer Carol Ross._

Therese played with the name on her tongue, a strange mix of elation and optimism flowing through her. Carol playfully teased her about not staking down her tent. Therese loved every second of it, despite the fact she must have been blushing terribly.

Carol started in again on the coons. Therese listened attentively even though she was quietly dying inside. Carol explained how wedging her cooler under the picnic table last night had been fine because of the hurricane-strength winds, but when the coons came out, they would easily find their way into Therese’s food. So when Carol suggested storing her cooler in the back of her Subaru, Therese obeyed.

Carol’s blonde hair was just about chin length, and she had not pulled it back this morning. She tucked it behind her ears as she talked, a habit Therese immensely enjoyed watching. Therese also loved that when that same piece of hair fell back down moments later, it held the curled imprint of being behind her ear.

Therese had a serious perma-grin going on and needed to wipe it off soon before campers thought something was wrong with her.

* * *

It wasn’t a joke.

While futilely trying to sleep, Carol had thought about the dark-haired young woman, far too much. While she knew Therese was probably caught in the battle between the wind and her tent, deep down Carol knew that she would be fine. She seemed to be an astute young woman, and she earned bonus points for not finishing the night sleeping in her Subaru. Furthermore, the first thing Therese had done at sunrise was to remedy the situation, with a rock no less. Carol very much liked what she saw.

Carol was not in the practice of looking and hadn’t been for years. Having a sudden interest in someone felt strange and terrifying, and she wanted to step back from the dangerous precipice even though she was metaphorically still in the parking lot. In her vehicle. Belted in. 

She had her two-way radio on quietly next to her as she almost always did, but nothing much of interest had happened. Carol was used to hearing the voices of her best friend Abby and Jeannette, the other dispatcher, in her home. She usually left her radio on even when she was not on duty, and it frightened her what silence might sound like if she ever turned it off. 

So far, nothing serious was happening. Jeanette was the dispatcher on duty since Carol and Abby usually tried to request the same shifts so they could hang out on their off days. Jeanette was in her 50s and had worked at the park longer than any of the park's staff members.

There wasn’t a strict rule against fraternization with campers, but it was frowned upon. Over the years, she had worked alongside rangers who disregarded this. Certain culprits seemed to have a new liaison every weekend. Carol had never before been interested in stepping over this line. 

She flopped over on her side, kicking the covers to the foot of the bed, and called Jeanette on her cell phone.

“My work daughter!” Jeanette exclaimed as she answered.

“Hey.” Carol chuckled. Jeanette had always been like a surrogate mother to her during her tenure at the park.

“Do you have time to talk as long as there’s no chatter?” Carol asked.

“For you, always, dear,” Jeanette told her. “How is the weekend treating you?”

“It’s been interesting so far,” Carol said tentatively. “There’s a woman here camping alone for the entire summer. She’s working on her thesis. She had approval in the system, so she must have received permission.”

“And that concerns you?” Jeanette asked. 

“No, no. Nothing like that,” Carol corrected her. “It’s just that she’s the first woman who has made me - who has…” Carol couldn’t verbalize what she felt.

“Oh. I see.” Jeanette’s knowing voice helped Carol to relax. “You’re interested in her.”

“Yes,” Carol softly acknowledged. “J, you know I’ve never been interested in flings, especially with campers, but she’s here for three months. Does that make it any better?”

Louise’s voice came over Carol’s radio and then her cell phone a split second later, creating an eerie echo. “Hold, please,” Jeanette instructed Carol. She heard Jeanette take care of the request before she addressed Carol again. “Ok, I’m back. Say again?”

“J, do you think there is any difference between a one-night stand and a three-month crush? Do you think it hurts to get to know Therese more when she is eventually going to leave come fall?” 

“Therese? That’s her name?” Jeanette asked rhetorically. “That’s pretty.” She spoke again after a long sigh. “Carol, I’ve known you for a long time. I can’t recall the last time you asked me anything like this. Don’t you think it’s about time you deserved some good, even if maybe it’s only temporary?”

Carol didn’t answer. She wondered if she invested her heart for the summer, would she survive having it ripped out come fall? When she thought about it this way, the stakes seemed too high. Yet, she knew Jeanette was right, as usual.

“She makes me feel different,” Carol told Jeanette. Carol hated how words were failing her. It didn’t matter. Jeanette understood.

“As in happy, breathless, giddy?” Jeanette laughed. 

“Yes,” Carol admitted. That perfectly described how she found herself each time she had been around Therese. It was how she felt now, just talking about her.

“My dear, you are thinking too much about this. You already have your answer,” Jeanette quietly told her. 

“Thank you for being here for me,” Carol told her lovingly.

“I’m always here for you, dear. You haven’t been over for dinner in a while,” she chastised Carol. “Cy misses you.” 

“I miss him, too,” Carol said. “Let’s pick a night you and I both have off. Give him my love.”

“I will, darling,” Jeanette told her. Carol hung up. 

As Carol tried to fall asleep again, she did believe this: the summer might turn out to be more interesting than she had anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took a bit. My lovely gf drew a big red X through a portion of this chapter with a "Hard no," so I had to go back to the drawing board. I'm grateful she did, because it's a much better chapter now. <3


	5. The Ice Queen

Therese straddled the picnic table bench at her campsite as she added firewood and marshmallows to her growing shopping list.

“Hey, I noticed you haven’t eaten or cooked much since you arrived, so I brought over some extra breakfast Phil made.” Dannie stood holding out a paper plate to Therese. “We had a couple of extra pancakes and some scrambled eggs and bacon, so I sort of made you a sandwich.” He handed the plate to Therese, who hadn’t taken her eyes off the food. 

“Oh my God, that looks so good,” she said as she greedily grabbed it. “I’m starving.” She managed to pick up the assemblage in one piece and took a huge bite. “Oh, the eggs are still warm,” she mumbled around a mouthful of food, her eyes closed. “Thank you, Phil!” she shouted over to the next campsite. 

Phil saluted her with a spatula he was washing.

“The slice of cheese was my idea,” Dannie said. He sat down on the picnic table bench with his back to the tabletop and splayed out his legs, which were a bright shade of Pacific Northwest white.

“Thank you, Dannie,” Therese said. “It’s delicious. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. I haven’t shopped for groceries yet.” She inhaled another huge bite. “I’m going to the general store before I head out in the field to do some work.”

“I still can’t believe you’re working the whole time you’re here. Are you planning on having any fun?” he asked, scowling. “It’s Memorial Day weekend, you know. You should relax a little, enjoy some beer, and come with us to see the laser light show tonight on Grand Coulee Dam.”

Therese picked out a piece of bacon and folded it into her mouth. “I don’t know. I really do need to get stuff done while I’m here.”

“Hey,” Phil greeted her, walking over while drying his hands on a paper towel before scrunching it up and tossing it in her fire ring. “What are you doing tonight? We’re going to see the laser show. Wanna come?”

Therese grinned at the two brothers. “How could I say no?” she said, before popping the last bite of breakfast into her mouth.

* * *

Enjoying the cool air inside her Subaru, Therese drove past the ranger station that looked closed and made a right turn out of the campground. She quickly found the general store, a full three-minute drive from her campsite, if that. Therese could easily walk or bike for smaller shopping trips.

A middle-aged woman working the cash register greeted Therese as she stepped inside, the bells on the door tinkling behind her. A handful of people milled about. The place smelled of microwaved burritos and industrial cleaner.

The inside was well-organized and obviously geared toward tourists with souvenirs strategically placed all around the store. In addition to groceries, they carried many other sundries. The items were all overpriced, but they had most everything Therese needed. She filled her cart with things like bottled water, ice, beer, meats and veggies to grill, a lighter, sunscreen, bug repellent, and firewood. An end cap loaded with everything needed to make s’mores caught her eye, and she stopped her cart there to choose between the different kinds of chocolate bars.

A man’s low voice down the next aisle said one word that pulled at Therese’s attention like a fish hook caught in a trout’s jaw. 

“So, how’s it going with Carol? Any luck with the Ice Queen?”

Therese could almost hear his sneer. She stilled, staying where she was at the end of the aisle and out of sight.

A woman’s voice quietly snapped at him. “You’re so rude. Just because she won’t date you doesn’t mean she’s an Ice Queen.”

“Well, it doesn’t sound like you’re having much luck in that department either, sweetheart.” He nearly growled the last word.

Therese recognized the voice as the smarmy ranger who had spoken to her at the lookout. However, Therese found other information much more interesting: If a woman was interested in Carol, maybe Carol was interested in women. A shiver ran down Therese’s spine.

The woman responded. “Carol doesn’t date. Everyone knows that. So, go to hell, Harge.” 

“Watch it, sister,” he warned her. “You’ll get fired for talking to me like that.”

“I don’t work for you, Harge - thank God - so bite me.” Therese heard angry footsteps, then the bells on the door loudly ding moments later. 

Setting the bag of marshmallows and two Hershey’s cookies and cream bars in her cart, Therese slowly turned down the aisle. Unfortunately, Harge was still there, holding a bag of Funyons. When their eyes met, he quickly turned and walked away in the opposite direction. She heard him at the register.

“Here. Keep the change, Maggie.”

The bells on the door loudly dinged again.

* * *

Therese finished her shopping, the conversation she had just witnessed replaying in her mind. The cashier kindly rang up her items and bagged her groceries while participating in a bit of small talk about the recent heat. Receipt in hand, Therese wheeled her cart out the door to see a white truck with the state park’s insignia pull up and park. Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized Carol was the driver.

Carol got out in the careful manner that law enforcement officers do while wearing a loaded belt of equipment. She smiled when she saw Therese and approached her. 

“Hi, you. Want some help?” Without waiting for an answer, Carol picked up the heavy bag of ice and swung it towards Therese who put in the back of her vehicle. 

“Thanks,” Therese responded. They quickly unloaded the groceries and the firewood into the Subaru. When the cart was emptied, Therese tightly gripped its handle. “I have a huge favor to ask.” 

She noticed that Carol’s blonde hair was pulled back in a tiny ponytail. Carol wore dark sunglasses and Therese couldn’t see her eyes. Therese’s squinted at her in the bright morning sunlight.

“Sure,” Carol replied. “What?” She rested her hands on her belt.

“Do you remember the guys at the campsite next to me? You asked one of them to move his tent off of the grass.”

Carol chuckled. “Yes, I remember.” She pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head to see Therese better. Her blue eyes seemed to shine.

“Well, they asked me to go see the laser light show up at Grand Coulee Dam tonight. They both seem like really nice guys, but I’d feel better if someone knew where I was, and sort of…” Therese fumbled for the right words while looking down at her feet.

“Made sure you returned in one piece?” Carol finished for her.

“Yeah,” Therese met Carol’s blue eyes. “I mean, I’m sure it’s not necessary…” Carol cut her off.

“I need to grab an iced coffee, but then I’m going on vehicular patrol. I’ll swing by your campsite in a few minutes and make it known that I am aware of your plans.” Carol smiled at her. “We women have to stick together.”

“They really do seem like nice guys,” Therese said apologetically, but Carol cut her off.

“They all do, Therese. You are right to be careful. We don’t really know anyone, do we?”

“No.” Therese wondered if Carol’s words had a deeper meaning.

“Okay,” Carol winked at her. “I’ll see you soon.” Carol lightly touched her on her arm as she passed 

Therese felt her whole arm prickle with goosebumps.

* * *

As promised, Carol’s truck rolled down their row of the campground minutes after Therese had finished putting away her groceries. She parked and got out. Carol's hair was no longer held back in a ponytail, and her hair softly framed her face.

Therese had bought Dannie and Phil ice cream sandwiches as a thank you for breakfast, and instead of putting them in the cooler on ice, they were already eating them. They both sat man-spreading on top of her picnic table, their feet resting on the bench.

“Good morning,” Carol greeted the three of them. “Breakfast of champions,” she said, motioning to their half-eaten ice cream bars. The guys both laughed.

“Are you three going to the laser show tonight?” Carol asked, despite knowing the answer.

“Yeah,” said Phil. “We’re all going.” He licked a drop of ice cream from his hand.

“Well, I just wanted to remind you that it will be quiet hours when you return, so please keep noise levels down out of respect for other campers.”

“Sure,” Dannie told her. “No problem.”

“Gates lock at 10 o’clock, but I’ll be at the entrance letting you in tonight, so make sure your driver is sober, too,” Carol told them. “See you all tonight. Enjoy the show.” And with that she returned to her vehicle with a quick smile and wink at Therese before she got in.

 _She doesn’t seem like an ice queen_ , Therese thought.


	6. The Geologist

Carol drove slowly along Dry Falls Lake Road, keeping under the speed limit as she surveyed the park’s morning activity. She found that she wore a content smile on her face for no apparent reason. She had already seen Therese twice this morning during her short shift. Did that have anything to do with her spirits being lifted?

It was just after nine o’clock, however, the temperature was already sweltering. Carol had her window up and the air conditioning on medium-high. She had less than an hour left on her shift, and then she would grab some lunch and try to get some sleep before clocking in again at 10 pm.

Not much was happening this early in the morning. A few hikers and kayakers were up and about trying to beat the midday heat. In a few more hours, the park would be a happening place, especially around the lakes. She would be on duty for all the craziness tonight.

As Carol came around a curve, she noticed someone walking on the side of the road. Therese, wearing a Huskies baseball cap, turned her head when Carol pulled up beside her and rolled down her passenger window.

“You know there are trails around here, right?” Carol jokingly asked her. 

Therese laughed. “Yes, but I wanted to get to the eastern face of Umatilla Rock while the morning sun was still on it, so I thought the road would be the fastest option.”

“You should walk against traffic then, so you can see the cars coming,” Carol told her, pointing to the other side of the road. “I don’t want you getting hit by someone coming around a corner.”

“Good point. I will,” said Therese, folding her arms and leaning on the passenger side door, her head poking inside the truck’s cab. “Do you ever sleep?” Therese asked her, scrunching up her nose.

Carol chuckled. “We just have long shifts and extra shifts, especially on holiday weekends. Normally I work nights, which I prefer. I like hearing the park breathe at night. It makes me feel connected, part of something.” She looked at Therese and cocked her head to the side enigmatically. 

The dark-haired woman scowled at her. “I’ve heard the park breathe at night. It sounds like a fire-breathing dragon.”

Carol grinned. “It can be very peaceful, too. You’ll see.” Carol hesitated, then asked, “I’m heading toward Umatilla Rock. Do you want a ride?”

Therese looked surprised. “Can I? I mean, is that allowed?”

“As long as you promise not to sue, then yes, it’s fine,” Carol said.

Therese grinned, opened the door, and swung the backpack she had been wearing onto the floor of the truck. Once she was seated and the door closed, Carol continued at her slow crawl down Dry Falls Lake Road, grateful for the low speed limit that would extend the time Therese was in her company.

“Are you a photographer?” Carol asked, motioning with her hand to the digital camera around Therese’s neck.

“No,” Therese answered her. “I’m taking photographs, but they are for research I’m doing on my thesis.”

“What kind of research?” Carol asked her, her eyes leaving the road to meet Therese’s green eyes. 

“I’m a geologist,” Therese said.

“Really?” Carol asked, her voice rising in surprise.

“Yeah, I know it’s nerdy, but I absolutely love it,” Therese told her, and Carol could sense what she was saying was the truth, because the brunette seemed to glow as she started talking about her passion. “I’m mostly interested in stratigraphy - that means studying the composition of the rock layers and the order of how they are layered. I love exploring the layers. There’s so much to learn, so much more than meets the eye. Did you know there are two kinds of stratigraphy? Lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy.” Therese stopped suddenly. “But I’m probably boring you,” she mumbled, quickly ending her passionate exposition.

“Not at all,” Carol told her. “So which of the two are you interested in - or do you do both?” Carol asked. Umatilla Rock was right in front of them and she wished she could slow down. Their conversation would soon be over and then the beautiful, verbose woman beside her would be gone.

Therese hesitated, unsure whether Carol really wanted to hear what she had to say. ”Well, by default, I’m interested in both, but I really love biostratigraphy. That deals with using the fossils found within the rock layers to determine the relative age of the rock.” 

Carol had pulled to the side of the road and stopped. “Fossils, huh?” Carol mused. Umatilla Rock rose up before them. Therese didn’t move to get out, so Carol impulsively implored, “Tell me something about Umatilla Rock.” Carol turned her attention to the huge rock that knifed its way through the valley floor. 

Therese raised her eyebrows, either because she was put on the spot or perhaps just because she wasn’t expecting Carol to ask her.

Therese took a moment to think. “Well, it’s a monadnock.”

“Mon-ad-nock?” Carol echoed her.

“Yes, that means it’s like an island. It’s an isolated ridge that rises abruptly from virtually a level area. Sometimes they’re called an inselberg. It is made of a more erosion-resisting rock than all the rock around it that washed away over time. And I’m going to go climb it.” Therese’s eyes sparkled.

“You’re very interesting. Do you know that?” Carol asked her. At a loss for words, Therese just opened her mouth a few times like a fish out of water. Carol continued, “I can imagine you as a little girl all excited about your rock collection.”

That did it. Therese found her words. “As a little girl?” She giggled, and her glorious dimples popped out of nowhere, much to Carol’s delight. “How about as a grown-ass woman?”

Carol's eyebrows pinched together, questioningly, but she matched Therese’s contagious smile.

“Come by my campsite sometime. I’ll show you my rock collection.”Therese winked at Carol before she got out of the truck. Therese grabbed her backpack and stood in the open door. “I have beer, too, if you need more incentive than rocks and fossils.” 

Before Carol could answer, Therese called out her thanks for the ride and closed the door. Carol watched her start up the path toward Umatilla Rock, towering over them.

No, she didn’t need more incentive than that. Honestly, she didn’t even need the rocks.

* * *

Therese had been itching to get in the field for months. Nearly bursting with excitement, she had stuffed her backpack with her notebook, pens, binoculars, sunscreen, sunglasses, granola bar, water bottle, and phone back at her campsite. She wasn’t even sure if she would have cell service in the park, but she took her phone anyway. Now standing at the top of Umatilla Rock after taking a quick assessment and some photos of the strata on its eastern face on her way up, she was pleased to find that she did indeed have service.

She noticed she still didn’t have any text messages since the 'ok' she had received from Richard after letting him know that the drive had been nice and that she had arrived safely. It irritated her that he couldn’t be bothered to text more than two letters to her. Either he was acting like he didn’t care that she was going away for the summer, or he truly didn’t care. The worst part was Therese kind of hoped it was the latter.

Therese stood in a crevice atop the rock where it was easy to cross from one side of the rock blade to the other. She surveyed the valley from her position in the middle of it. It was a glorious day, and she was thrilled to be exactly where she was. The sun beat down on her bare shoulders. She was glad she had chosen to wear a baseball cap, even if the cap had once belonged to Richard. 

She and Richard had been dating the last couple of years. They had met their last year as undergrads. Richard’s father owned an upscale Italian restaurant and bar on Capitol Hill, and Therese had waited tables there. Tips were very good, and she was able to afford her classes, her small apartment, and still be able to put some money away for her trip. 

She took out her water bottle and sat down on a column of basalt facing the visitor’s center that the park called an interpretive center on the western edge of the canyon. A few kids stood in front of the stationary binoculars mounted near the white building. She wondered if they were looking back at her. What would they see? _If they looked close enough, they would see a procrastinator_ , she mused.

The problem was, Therese was entirely invested in her education and future career, and it had been easier to be absorbed in finishing her degree than dealing with the glaring issues in her relationship. Truth be told, she should have broken up with Richard over a year ago, and she just kept delaying the inevitable. When Richard had asked her to move in with him a year into their relationship, her first instinct was to run, and she probably should have. She didn’t move in with him, but she didn’t move on either.

She picked up a shard of rock that had fallen from the stone facade and turned it over in her hand. Part of her wished she had just taken steps to end their relationship then. She had kept a sliver of hope that things would get better between them. After all, Richard was attractive and a nice enough guy, but they just inherently wanted different things. Plus, while she enjoyed his company, she had never felt that special something with Richard.

Therese knew she would never be happy just being his wife and raising kids the way his mother had before she passed away when Richard was in high school. Richard could never understand why she felt differently, despite Therese’s attempts to explain it to him. His solution was for her to finish her degree, then they could get married, and she would never have to work again. Her efforts to successfully articulate to him that his scenario would make her miserable fell short time and time again. He simply didn’t understand her desire to want to do something of value outside of raising children. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she wanted children. While Richard would never have considered giving up his career had she asked, he still could not see things from her point of view. She tossed the rock she had been holding in her hand, and it skipped off some loose rocks and fell somewhere below her.

Their arguments had started out small and then became more heated and frequent. Eventually, they reached a place in their relationship where it was just easier to ignore the issues than fight about them. They began to be objects orbiting in the same galaxy with no chance of ever finding themselves on the same path. However, together they hurled toward a point in time when an eventual decision would have to be made.

With the on-site information she planned to gather this summer, she would write her thesis and be so close to being and doing everything she had dreamed of since she was a little girl. She smiled fondly when she recalled her dad coming home and reaching into his pocket with a twinkle in his eye. He never failed to bring her home a special rock from his trips. 

Snapping back in her mind to the present day, anger washed over Therese because she knew that her procrastination had left her in this predicament. However, with so much to do in such little time, she simply didn’t have time to worry about Richard and what he was doing. She turned off her cell phone and dropped it into her bag. Therese would end it with him once and for all when she returned home. She had better things to do right now. She stood up and began her descent down Umatilla Rock.


	7. The Best Friend

“Decaf?”

“Decaf.” Abby pushed an iced coffee across the table as Carol slid into the booth. “Difficult shift?”

“No, hardly,” Carol answered. “I was only scheduled for four hours. I’m back on tonight though.” Even though her shift had ended, she kept the radio that was clipped to her shoulder at a volume she could still hear, even if others could not. She picked up one of the bistro’s menus that sat at the end of the table. ‘Bistro’ was being generous. It was basically a glorified coffee shop attached to a gas station, but dining options near the park left them with few choices. 

“I’m on tonight, too.” Abby put a hand down over Carol’s menu. “Forgive me, but I took the liberty of ordering our usual. I’m starving,” Abby told her. 

Carol tossed the menu back on top of the other one with a grateful sigh. “Thanks, me too. All I’ve had is coffee.”

Carol could feel Abby’s eyes on her. The auburn-haired woman was sharp and missed nothing. She was a great dispatcher, but she would have made an excellent detective, too. Carol sipped on her coffee and waited for it. 

“You seem off - I mean different. Is everything okay?” Abby asked. She picked a long hair from the sleeve of her salmon-colored shirt and attempted to inconspicuously drop it on the floor. 

Carol flipped her hair out of her eyes with a toss of her head. “No, nothing. I mean, I’m fine.” Carol focused her attention on her bendy straw.

“Oh my God, you’re such a terrible liar, and you have been since college,” Abby scoffed. 

“I am not!” Carol said, indignantly.

Abby laughed. “Do you remember when you tried to convince the RA that the liquid in our…”

“Okay! Enough. Yes, I remember. I was younger then. I’ve learned.” Carol grinned. 

“You’re so annoying when you try to change the subject.” Abby scowled at her and only stopped when their food arrived. The waitress placed the Cobb salad in front of Carol and a panini in front of Abby. 

“That looks good today,” Carol mused, eyeing Abby’s melted cheese as she poured the dressing on her salad. 

“Well, you can’t have any because you won’t tell me what’s going on,” Abby said. She took a huge bite and stared at Carol expectantly as she chewed.

Carol pushed diced egg and chicken chunks around with her fork. “I don’t really know how to explain it,” she began. She usually told Abby the most mundane details of her day, yet she was having trouble finding the right words to talk to her best friend, the person who knew her better than anyone. 

“A woman checked into the campground,” Carol said. She looked up and met Abby’s eyes. Abby’s stare was no longer harsh, but unreadable.

“Um, ok. So?” Abby asked. She reached over and dipped a fry into Carol’s ranch dressing.

“She’s interesting,” Carol said mysteriously, suddenly absorbed with stabbing her romaine.

Abby stopped eating. “Interesting how?”

They made eye contact, and nothing more needed to be said.

“Oh,” said Abby. Her food continued to sit untouched. “And?”

“And what?” Carol asked. “There’s nothing more to say. I met her and she’s interesting.” Carol ate with an effort that made up for Abby’s sudden loss of appetite. Maybe if she had food in her mouth, she wouldn’t have to answer any more questions.

“That’s it? She’s interesting? Is she interested in you?” Abby asked.

“I don’t know,” Carol said truthfully, wiping her mouth on her napkin. “Eat. What’s wrong with you?” She motioned to Abby’s nearly untouched plate.

Abby begrudgingly picked up a fry and gnawed at one end of it. 

“It’s not like you to fraternize with campers,” Abby said. 

“No, it’s not,” Carol agreed. Her blue eyes held Abby’s hazel ones as she carefully chose her words. “But, she might be worth changing my ways.”

“Wow, this is monumental.” Abby took a long swallow of coffee.

Carol couldn’t ignore the growing unease between them and badly wanted to find a way to alleviate it. Abby’s friendship meant everything to her. She had been in Carol’s life to help celebrate the good and had held her up through the bad. She knew when Carol needed space and when she needed someone to pull her ass out of bed and drag her into town for a coffee and croissant. 

Over the years, Carol had picked up hints that Abby would have liked to have an even closer relationship, but unfortunately Carol didn’t share the same feelings. At times like this, Carol felt the uneasiness between them like an elephant in the room. They had spent so much time together since they were teenagers that Abby felt like the sister Carol never had. Yet, as close as a sister Abby seemed, Carol still wasn’t comfortable telling Abby everything.

“Nothing has happened, and maybe nothing will happen,” Carol said, sighing. “But if something did happen, I think I might actually be... happy about it.” She gave Abby a wry smile and took another sip of coffee.

“Well, you’ll have to point her out,” Abby told Carol, finally taking another bite of her panini. “I want to see this ‘interesting’ woman,” she said incoherently over a mouthful of bread. She swallowed and continued. “I can’t remember the last time I heard you mention possibly being happy.”

Carol’s radio crackled, and Abby leaned in to hear. Carol turned up the volume to make Jeanette’s voice clearly audible.

“Papa Romeo 687, this is Dispatch. Over.” 

Tommy’s voice responded though Carol’s walkie. “Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 687 at the boat ramp. Over.” Carol and Abby had not broken their gaze during the exchange.

“Report of smoke and possible brush fire north of Charlie Delta. Over.” Jeanette’s perfunctory report had Carol out of her seat and pulling money from her wallet.

Tommy answered, “Copy. On my way. Over and out.”

Carol threw money on the table. “I’m sorry,” she told Abby.

Abby just shook her head. “You’re off duty.”

Carol had already keyed the mic on her left shoulder. “Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 645 at Banks Lake. Over.”

Jeanette responded immediately. “Papa Romeo 645, Dispatch. Over.

“Papa Romeo 645, responding to brush fire. Over.” Carol squeezed Abby’s shoulder and gave her a wry smile before she pushed past other patrons to the door, ignoring their inquisitive stares and whispers. Abby heard Jeanette’s response as Carol exited the cafe.

“Papa Romeo 645, copy that. Over and out.”

* * *

Carol stripped off the rest of her dirty uniform while the shower water warmed up. She kicked the pile of smoky clothing into a corner of the bathroom and ran her fingers through her hair. She and Tommy had easily contained the small fire. Using a shovel and a Pulaski, they had quickly dug a fire line, trapping the flames between it and the roadway before the big boys had even arrived.

Carol looked in the mirror and hardly recognized the woman looking back at her. She felt as if she had aged a decade during the last two years. Leaning in closer, Carol inspected her hairline for grays. She only saw the three that she was already aware of. Still, she cursed the genetics or stress that had caused them. Early 30s, in her opinion, she was far too young for gray hairs. She needed to get some sleep, so she finally stepped into the lukewarm shower. A hot shower was the last thing she wanted in this weather.

The last couple of years had worn on her, much more than anyone knew. Her parents still worried about her. She continued to assure them that she was fine and saw them for the usual holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. She mostly stayed in touch with her mom via text, and occasionally her dad, although his mastery of a smartphone was still a work in progress.

As Carol worked shampoo into her hair, her mind wandered to whom she might be on duty with that night. Carol was friendly with the rest of the park staff, although she wasn’t especially close to any of them besides Abby. 

Harge, the head ranger, was her boss and had asked her out on more than one occasion. Keenly aware of state park policy against supervisors and supervisees dating, combined with the fact that she felt absolutely no attraction to him or members of his gender whatsoever, had caused her to turn him down. Carol had also heard whispers of a woman in Moses Lake with whom he was apparently involved. Rumor had it she had birthed two children by him, but he had never mentioned them to anyone at work. As a ranger, he was strict, too strict for her taste. Sometimes an illegally parked vehicle just needed a warning, not a citation. It was a park, not a prison. Carol tended to focus her law enforcement attention on graver matters.

Harge had made an effort to be nicer to her over the last two years. Either that, or he was working on wearing her down to ask her out on a date again. All Carol knew was that he had been attentive to the point of clingy, and she had finally just quit saying yes to him altogether, even if it was just stopping at the diner during their shift for an ice cream cone. 

Her fellow rangers, Tommy, Jack, and Louise were all people Carol considered friends. She had no qualms about working with any of them. Tommy was a fresh-faced young man who had been stationed in Afghanistan before he began working at the park. He spent most of his off days shirtless up at Steamboat Rock, or wherever the young people’s party _de jour_ was happening. That said, he always showed up for work sober and took the job seriously.

Jack, with one year under his belt, was by far the best looking of all the guys, something Carol believed Harge held against him. While Carol enjoyed working nights, she often found herself with Jack, whom she believed was assigned the shift by Harge just to exert his power over Jack. Jack was also by far the quietest on the team. While others extolled the exploitations of their off days, especially Tommy, who had a fondness for chasing after college girls on vacation, Jack was reserved about what he did in his off time. Carol rarely saw Jack's vehicle on his off days, and she and Abby had once wondered if maybe he had a proclivity for the same sex and wasn’t finding what he was looking for in the conservative small towns surrounding the park.

Louise, well, Louise was just Louise. She was a 25-year-old, self-assured, red-headed, social butterfly. She loved working registration and getting the chance to chat with all the incoming campers. In contrast, Carol loved quiet nights walking the park alone, flipping her Maglite in time with her steps, and making sure gates were locked. Louise was always a good draw when Carol was feeling especially allergic to working the registration windows or to too much human contact in general.

For months they had all tiptoed around Carol, even Abby. Over time and with the help of the changing seasons, things were starting to feel normal. At least at work. 

Carol rinsed the conditioner out of her hair and turned the water off. She realized that she felt different. As she dried herself with a towel, she admitted this might be the best she felt in a long time. Physically, she was fit and strong - she had to be for her job. Mentally and emotionally, the last two years had wrung everything out of her until she felt as dry as a sponge. However, the last couple of days felt like an old part of Carol had been given a life-saving sip of water. Was she actually feeling excitement for what lay ahead, instead of the dread she usually felt? Maybe the woman she used to be was still in there somewhere, just waiting for some water.


	8. The Show

Therese and the “boys” as she was starting to fondly think of them had an early dinner of cheeseburgers that Therese grilled for them. Phil provided a bag of barbeque potato chips, and they all sat at Therese’s picnic table, elbows spread wide and heads low as they ate their oozing burgers on paper plates atop her red-checked table cloth. Phil and Dannie enjoyed a couple of IPA’s, and they ate together in comfortable silence. Therese had offered to drive up to the dam and back since she didn’t plan on drinking. She hoped to get up early and do some work in the morning. 

“So, it’s a laser show?” Therese asked, abandoning her burger and ending her meal with some chips. 

“Mmm-hmm.” Phil nodded yes. Both brothers were on their second burger. Once he swallowed, he continued. “They project the laser show on the dam itself, from what I hear. It’s supposed to be pretty entertaining 30 minutes if you come prepared.” He winked at his brother. 

Therese eyed them both. Dannie reached into his pocket and slid out a vape pen the size of a USB drive to show her. He put it back. “A hit of that, and it should be an amazing show,” he chuckled. 

“You boys are just perpetuating the Portland stereotype,” she teased them.

Dannie pretended to act appalled and quickly searched for a comeback. “Well, you drive a Subaru.”

Therese’s eyebrows scrunched together, and she wasn’t smiling anymore. “What’s that mean?” she asked.

Phil glanced at his brother in a way that suggested the two of them had discussed the topic before. Dannie looked uncomfortable, especially since his brother seemed to be letting him dig himself out of his hole solo.

“Well,” Dannie cleared his throat, “you know.”

“I know what?” Therese asked.

“Women...” Dannie avoided eye contact with Therese and focused instead on his thumbnail as he tried to pull up a weathered sliver of wood on the part of the table not covered by Therese’s tablecloth. “Women who drive Subarus…” he trailed off and uncomfortably cleared his throat.

“We thought you were a lesbian,” Phil finally filled in for his brother.

Therese laughed. “Because I drive a Subaru? A lot of straight women drive Subarus,” she said.

The brothers exchanged glances again. This time Dannie grew a spine and spoke up. “It’s more than that though. It’s the way you look at her.” He looked up to meet Therese’s eyes. Her cheeks grew rosy spots that matched the tablecloth. “That’s what actually made us think that.”

“Who?” she asked meekly, despite knowing exactly who they were referring to. They both ignored her. 

“Remember when she asked me to move my tent off the grass?” Phil asked, as he finally pushed his plate away. “If Dannie hadn’t offered you that beer, I think you might still be standing there.” He smiled at her in a way that made Therese feel like she had a teasing older brother, but a brother who would also stand up for her in a fight. She threw her wadded up napkin at him, but she was laughing.

“Yeah,” she said slowly, “you’re right, and you’re wrong.” She chose her words carefully. “I do find her…” she trailed off and stared at her hands for a moment, “attractive.” She swallowed loudly. “But I have a boyfriend back in Seattle.”

The news seemed to surprise the two brothers. Neither said anything, so Therese continued. “I have a boyfriend, but I shouldn’t have a boyfriend if that makes sense.” She looked at them and realized it did not. “I mean, I’m in a relationship I should have ended long ago, but I haven’t, for one reason or another.” She idly smoothed the tablecloth with her hands. “I’m not proud of it.”

Dannie put a hand on her shoulder and playfully pushed and pulled her. “We’ve all been there. You might need a hit of this before we go.” He slid the vape pen back out of his pocket and offered it to her.

Therese laughed. “I will take you up on that once we get there. I promise.”

* * *

“Hey, Jack.” Carol sidled up next to him as they both pulled fresh batteries from the office charging station for their radios and charged their old ones. “I’ll take the gate tonight. I don’t mind.”

“Sure,” he told her, scratching his head. “It’s going to be a busy night up there though. I drove through the campground on my way here and it’s hella cleared out. You might even need me up there with you. Have you considered having two lanes coming back in?”

“I’ll be fine by myself. I’m actually looking forward to it.” Carol smiled sweetly and turned away from him, effectively ending the conversation. With her seniority, there wasn’t really much he could do, and he was getting the easy end of the bargain work-wise. There would be very few campers who didn’t make the trek up to the laser show tonight. Patrols until then would be uneventful. That would change when all the drunk and happy campers from the show came back long past quiet hours and had to be encouraged to settle down and go to bed.

Even people who hated mornings and preferred to sleep in were awake and moving around before 7:00 am due to the heat in their tents. _That is part of the beauty of camping in a desert,_ Carol thought. That meant if people were partying until 2:00 am, fights would break out between neighboring campers unless the rangers kept a tight hold on the situation. Quiet hours were strictly enforced because they prevented other altercations. The rangers’ job on such nights was a bit like herding cats. Hundreds of people, many of whom had been drinking, would all be returning around the same time after partying. Many of them would want to continue having a good time, but it was Carol and Jack’s job to keep the campground a safe and quiet place. This routine would go on until Labor Day, but tonight was an especially busy and notoriously hectic night.

Carol walked to the open door of the ranger station and completed her radio check.

“Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 645. Radio check, over.”

Abby’s voice came over Carol’s radio. “Papa Romeo 645, this is Dispatch. Read you loud and clear. Over.” Carol turned down the volume of her radio to where she liked it and adjusted her duty belt while Jack checked his radio. 

“Ready to do this?” she asked him. 

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. He picked up his coffee from his desk in the small office and followed her out. 

_I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for nine years_ , Carol thought.

* * *

The drive up to the dam took 45 minutes. Therese and the boys laid out on a grassy expanse below the dam’s visitor’s center. They were grateful that they had arrived early to find a good spot, otherwise, they would not have found room to sit by the time the show started. The entire area was packed with people of all ages eager to see the lasers and hear the music. 

All three of them had taken hits off the vape before they exited the car. Outside speakers broadcast the soundtrack that was also available on car radios for those who couldn’t find seats within earshot. Once it started, Therese was grateful for the boys’ foresight. An animated laser beam beaver doing his best to educate the crowd on the history of the dam and how it worked wouldn’t have been anywhere near as entertaining without a bit of sativa. The different colored lasers danced across the massive concrete structure in time to the music with exploding shapes and patterns. It reminded Therese of a giant kaleidoscope. 

Once the show ended, the place quickly became a mass exodus of people scrambling to be the first ones in their cars and out of the parking lots. A quick poll gave a unanimous decision, and Therese and the boys all laid back on the grass and stargazed while the crowd thinned out. Sometime after eleven o’clock they decided the traffic had dissipated enough to make their way back to the campground. 

Dannie tried to find a radio station not playing news or country music but failed. Ten minutes down the road and still stuck in traffic, Therese realized both brothers were out cold. 

An hour and a half later, Therese made the turn off Highway 17 down into the park. Before she could get to the bottom of the hill, she realized that the road was closed down to one lane only. The arm of a metal gate stretched across the opposite lane and a white state park truck with its light bar flashing was parked behind it. A park ranger with a flashlight motioned for Therese to pull up in the open lane. Therese rolled down her window, the incoming gust of air nearly as exhilarating as the sight before her.

Carol leaned down and played the flashlight around the front and back seats. She held it up above her shoulder next to her head like Therese had seen police officers do in the movies. Neither Dannie nor Phil moved a muscle.

“Hi,” she said softly, pointing her Maglite down toward the ground. “How was the show?” Her left hand gripped the door of Therese’s car, so close that Therese could see Carol’s fingernails, neatly trimmed ovals, even in the darkness. They hadn’t been this close before, and Carol’s perfume scented the air between them, making Therese’s brain cells bounce and flash like the patrol vehicle’s red and blue lights. Therese smiled.

“Truthfully? It was only okay,” Therese admitted. “I can say I’ve seen it now, but I don’t think I need to go again.” 

Carol grinned, nodding her head in agreement. “I had the same reaction, years ago. I haven’t been back since. Everything okay?” she asked, cocking her toward Phil, who was snoring loudly in the back seat.

“Yeah, everything is great. Thank you,” Therese said. She noticed that Carol still casually leaned against her car. 

Sounds suddenly emanated from Carol’s radio, and she quickly stood up. Whatever the woman on the other end had said wasn’t intelligible to Therese, but Carol must have understood because she pinched the mic on her shoulder and spoke, all the while looking at Therese. 

“Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 645. Standby.” Carol leaned down again. “I probably don’t need to tell you, but it’s quiet hours and most of the park is asleep, so just keep your speed and noise down as you guys turn in.”

Therese nodded dutifully.

“I’m glad to see you back,” Carol said, smiling at Therese. 

Therese returned her smile. “Goodnight, Carol.” She slowly pulled forward and rolled up her window while watching the blonde park ranger in her rearview mirror. Carol stood watching the car drive away until it couldn’t be seen around the curve. 

A voice next to her quietly mimicked her in a high-pitched voice. “Goodnight, Carol.” 

Therese hit Dannie in the thigh.

“Ow!” He rubbed his leg before leaning his head against the window and closing his eyes again. Therese turned left after the ranger station, now closed and dark.

“You totally drive a Subaru,” Dannie said, never opening his eyes. When Therese glanced over at him, he was smiling.

“Shut up.” Therese laughed.


	9. The Wave

Therese didn’t see Carol the next day, or the morning after that. However, when Dannie and Phil convinced her to go on a bike ride with them late one afternoon, she caught a glimpse of Carol - her first look at Carol not in uniform. 

It was a gorgeous day, hot but not too hot, with cloudless cerulean blue skies. Phil suggested an easy ride, basically a circuit to get the layout of the land. Since this would be helpful to Therese as she chose her spots to study, she agreed to go with them. He suggested riding out to Deep Lake and back, and then continuing around Park Lake if they felt up to it. 

It was on the return trip around the eastern side of Park Lake that Therese saw her. Carol was wearing a white tank top and navy blue shorts and she was pushing a gas lawnmower. Her golden hair shone in the bright sunlight. The lawn she was mowing was on the side of a small yellow house just off the road. It was painted the same shade as the ranger station around the bend. Therese wondered if it was Carol’s house. 

Therese started daydreaming about the possibility that Carol had been sleeping right there, so close in proximity to the campground. This caused her to swerve her front tire just a bit, coming too close to Dannie’s bike. Dannie yelped in surprise and called out a warning. The noise of the mower certainly must have drowned out Dannie’s voice, but right then Carol looked up, just as they biked past her. Therese spontaneously raised her right hand in greeting. They passed by too quickly for Therese to know if Carol waved back, but when Therese glanced behind her, Carol was watching them ride away.

* * *

Carol adored patrolling the park in the middle of the night. It made her feel like she was the only person on earth. With the moonlight to guide her way, she walked along at a fairly brisk pace, a cadence in her step that matched the beat in her head.  _ One, two, three, flip. _ On four, she flipped her heavy Maglite flashlight she carried in her hand end-over-end and caught it. She repeated this sequence over and over when she was on foot patrol and had for many years. Her black boots barely made a sound on the asphalt as she walked down the road. Carol was only aware of the sound of her breathing and the slap of the flashlight in her hand. This was her meditation.

Therese had been on Carol’s mind for at least half of her walk through the campground. She blamed the distraction for dulling her senses because she was halfway down the row that housed Therese’s campsite when Carol realized Therese was not asleep in her tent. Instead, Therese was perched on top of the boulder at the entrance to her campsite. Her legs were stretched out before her and her arms stretched back on the rock, propping her up. She was turned slightly away from Carol. Carol followed her line of vision to see what held Therese’s attention. Just in front of the two brothers’ campsite, two female mule deer were feeding on the irrigated grass. The deer had either not seen Therese, or did not care that she was there, for she sat mere feet away from them. Carol knew the deer were fairly desensitized to humans, but they still stood closer to Therese than usual.

Carol held onto her Maglite and tried to walk into Therese’s line of sight without startling her or the deer. To her surprise, Therese turned and smiled at her as if she had known she was there all along. Carol walked closer. One of the deer skittered and walked away. The other deer seemed unfazed and continued to eat.

“Hi,” Therese whispered. She seemed pleased to see Carol.

“You’re up late,” Carol said quietly. 

Therese shrugged. “I’m a night owl. I couldn’t sleep and decided to look at the stars. Then the deer came out of nowhere, and I’ve been watching them.”

Carol looked up. “You can see the Milky Way here.” She gazed at the long strip of light-colored sky.

“Where?” Therese asked excitedly, sitting up. 

“Right here,” Carol leaned closer to Therese and traced the path with her finger. 

“I thought that was really high clouds or something,” Therese whispered, her head only a few inches from Carol’s. 

“No, you’re looking into the widest part of the galaxy. It seems brighter because there are so many stars, stacked on top of one another, layers and layers.”

“I like layers,” Therese said shyly.

“I remember,” Carol stepped back and smiled at her. “Walk with me.” She realized it sounded more like an order than a question, but Therese was happy to comply either way. She scrambled down off the rock.

They walked in comfortable silence, something Carol rarely found with other people. Most people felt the need to talk to fill the empty space, to push out the silence like an unwanted invader. Finding someone who just enjoyed being with her was refreshing, and Carol was pleased that Therese seemed happy just joining her on patrol. Without noticing, Carol had begun counting her steps and flipping her flashlight, a hard habit to break. Upon completion of the tent sites and the beginning of the RV sites, Carol picked up the conversation like it had never paused.

“I’m a bit embarrassed to admit, but I think I take the stars for granted,” she looked up, finding Orion looking down at her.

“Why? Because you’re just used to living here?” Therese asked. They continued to talk in hushed tones, people asleep in rows only 20 feet from them.

“I suppose so,” Carol told her.

“How long have you lived here?” Therese asked her. Carol noticed that every time one of them spoke, Therese looked at her intently, something that Carol enjoyed, but it also unnerved her. 

“Nine years,” Carol answered, and met Therese’s gaze to see her reaction. Therese’s eyebrows shot up. 

“That’s a long time,” she stated.

“Yes, yes, it is.” Carol changed the subject. “I think I saw you today.” They turned the corner to walk back towards Therese’s campsite. “Did you wave at me?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. That was me. You probably couldn’t tell it was me because cyclists tend to look the same in their gear.” 

Therese’s rambling left Carol sure that if there had been any lighting other than moonlight, she could have seen Therese blush. She wasn’t expecting Therese to continue.

“You looked beautiful.”

Carol’s hand missed her flashlight, and it clattered to the ground, the sound of the metal housing on the pavement like machine-gun fire to their ears. Carol grabbed it and had it back in her hand before it had stopped moving. Certain that she was the one now blushing, Carol froze in the middle of the road. They both listened for any evidence that the clamor had awoken campers, but they heard no noises aside from crickets that would only ease up on their refrain come daylight.

They began to walk again, slowly, toward Therese’s tent. Carol could still feel her heart racing.

“I thought it was you,” Carol told her softly. “I don’t know anyone else who would wave at me.”

“You’re kidding,” Therese asked incredulously, but quietly. “Surely your friends or coworkers…”

“My best friend hates cycling, and I knew what coworkers were working and who among them have bicycles.” They had arrived back at Therese’s campsite.

Therese looked down. “I mean, I was just looking and saw you,” she began as if starting to offer some explanation or apology. Carol promptly cut her off with a small smile and a few simple words.

“I like it when you look at me.” Carol flipped her flashlight, caught it, and walked away.


	10. The Facts

Carol had just finished her mid-morning foot patrol of the group camp. The 20 women staying there had been at the park a few days already and had quickly fallen into a routine that needed little attention or effort on behalf of the park’s rangers. The women were quiet and clean; focused on their reiki retreat and sipping red wine. Separated geographically from the rest of the campsites, Carol almost hated expending the effort of walking to the camp to check on them, but they were all so nice every time she showed up. 

When she reached Dry Falls Lake Road, she turned left toward Meadow Lake. It wasn’t much of a lake, but more of a marshy area where tule reeds grew abundantly. As she made another left turn to take the road toward Deep Lake, she realized she was about to awkwardly fall into step with another hiker. Awkwardness quickly turned to exhilaration when she realized the woman with a long, dark ponytail and baseball cap was Therese. 

“Hi.”

Carol was thrilled to see Therese’s face light up when she noticed her. Therese pulled earbuds from her ears and dropped them in her pocket. They stopped on the side of the road. Carol removed her sunglasses to look at her.

“This is a nice surprise,” Therese said, still beaming.

“I’m glad,” Carol said. “How is your research going?”

“Really well,” Therese told Carol. She motioned down the road. “Are you going towards Deep Lake? I can bore you to death with details while we walk.”

“Ready and waiting,” Carol replied, chuckling as they started off. “Although I’m not sure you could bore me.” She put her sunglasses back on.

“I’ll check with you when we get there. Maybe your opinion will have changed,” Therese joked.

Carol gently took Therese’s wrist, stopping them both. “You don’t bore me, and no, it won’t.” She saw Therese swallow as she let go of her wrist. “Now, tell me what you have been doing.” They started walking again, the sun at their backs.

Therese began cautiously. “Do you remember how I told you I’m interested in rock layers and what they can tell me?” 

Carol nodded and hummed an affirmation. 

“Well, this area is quite unique. How do I explain?” Therese paused for a moment. “So, you know that this area was formed volcanically, right?”

“Yes,” Carol answered, happy for all the shifts she had worked at the interpretive center during her first few years. “Did you know it’s considered one of the largest basalt-lava formations in the world?”

“Yes,” Therese answered, obviously impressed. “But did you know that the lava is hundreds of feet thick in places?”

“I know it’s 500 feet thick at Dry Falls,” Carol said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Are you trying to out-fact me, Ranger?” Therese stopped, put her hands on her hips, and smiled. 

Carol thought Therese looked even more adorable when she was being playful. Carol winked at her and kept walking.

Therese continued talking as she scrambled to catch up with Carol again. “So these flows happened on top of one another. In between the flows, other things were happening, like flooding, erosion, the deposition of sediment, etcetera, etcetera.” Therese pointed up at the striated cliff walls. “Each one of these escarpments represents a different period of time. You can see the different stratigraphy in the benches along the cliff sides. Each of these benches represents a different lava flow.” 

“I see,” Carol said.

“I suppose you know about Glacier Lake Missoula, too?” Therese asked with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

“I do,” Carol proudly told Therese. “A glacier blocked a river and created a big lake where Montana is, and when the lake breached its dam, it caused the falls here.” 

“Well, yes, but its magnitude is important.” Therese went on, “It blocked the Clark Fork River in what is now Montana, creating a massive lake over 2,000 feet deep on average. They think the force of all the lake water caused the ice dam to break. Or, all that water caused the ice dam to float, and then it ruptured, or a combination of those two forces breached the dam. When it was breached, they estimate the waves were as high as 1,000 feet as they flooded toward the Pacific Ocean. The massive lake emptied in a matter of days in a catastrophic event.” 

Therese was speaking rapidly, almost giddy. Carol loved it.

“How long ago was this?” Carol asked her.

“Here’s the interesting part,” Therese exclaimed. “It wasn’t just one event. Scientists think that happened more than 40 times!” She was nearly breathless, and Carol couldn’t help but smile. “But, to answer your question, all of this was going on more than 13,000 years ago.”

“And then it just stopped? And now the falls are dry?” Carol inquired.

“Not quite,” Therese told her. “So these massive waves carrying trees, animals, debris, chunks of ice, boulders, and columns of basalt come through here and start eroding the rock, forming a huge waterfall. However, that waterfall was formed 20 miles away. The face of the falls kept receding and receding until we are left with what we are looking at now. But, Carol, each time this happened, all that debris was deposited, and things were covered up by mud.”

“Fossils,” Carol said, following where Therese was going.

“Yes,” Therese’s eyes were wide and bright. “Due to the erosion caused by the water flowing through the area, different geologic periods are evident in the exposed strata.” She stopped and turned toward Carol. “ For lack of a better analogy, it’s like if I cut through a layered cake.” Therese’s hands started miming what she was saying. “From the side, I can see what kind of cake each layer is made of and what items have been mixed in, like nuts or chocolate chips — or in my case, trees, leaves, bones, fossils. That’s what makes this place amazing. It’s magical. Everything is exposed. These geological events have opened amazing doors into the strata, where normally these layers would be buried 400-500 feet deep.”

“You are fascinating,” Carol told her. 

Therese scoffed. “I’m not fascinating. This place is fascinating!”

“No,” Carol told her, “you are fascinating, too.” She reached out and squeezed Therese’s arm and was awarded the brightest smile of the day.

“So have you found any fossils?” Carol asked her.

“Yes, and don’t worry,” Therese told her. “I know to leave them in place. I had to sign a mountain of paperwork in order to get approval to be here. I take photos, make sketches, and will sometimes do a rubbing or etching if possible.”

“I imagined there was a bit of red tape if you got permission to camp here all summer. So what have you found?” Carol inquired further. 

“Well, I found a small fern on my second day, a fossil that may be the femur of a small mammal, and a tiny ammonite,” she said proudly.

“Really?” Carol asked, surprised. “That’s incredible.” 

“You just have to keep your eyes open.” Therese shrugged nonchalantly. She pulled a water bottle from the side of her backpack and drank, then offered it to Carol. They were halfway to Deep Lake where Carol’s vehicle was parked. 

“Most people I know don’t think it’s incredible. They actually find it boring,” Therese said. “You’re nice to listen to me. I’m sure your job is much more exciting.”

“I wouldn’t be working here if I didn’t think this area was amazing, and I like how you describe everything to me,” Carol told her. “I don’t know that my job is all that exciting.”

“You have to carry a gun. It must get dangerous,” Therese said.

“Not usually. The rattlesnakes are probably the most dangerous part of my job. Speaking of which, be careful where you step, especially when you’re out here alone,” Carol told her.

“What do you do when you run across one? Do you shoot it?” Therese asked her innocently.

“No,” Carol laughed. “I’d probably use my OC spray if I absolutely had to, but just backing away slowly is my preferred method.”

“OC spray?” Therese asked. 

Carol pointed to a canister holstered on her belt. “Oleoresin capsicum aerosol spray. OC spray for short. Basically pepper spray. But I prefer not to be close enough to a rattler to have to use it.”

“Have you ever had to use your gun before?” Therese asked her. 

“No,” Carol shook her head. “Thankfully, I’ve never even had to take it out of its holster while on duty.”

They had arrived at the end of Deep Lake, a long, thin crevice in the basalt that had filled with water. It was 100 feet deep in some places, and a favorite cliff diving spot. Neither said much as they approached Carol’s vehicle. Carol unlocked the truck and turned around. Therese was standing close to her. 

“Thank you for the walk and the conversation,” Therese said. “You’re easy to talk to.”

“I enjoyed it, too,” Carol said. “And for the record, I was never bored.”

Therese grinned, and then shyly asked her, “Will I see you later?”

When Carol opened her truck door, the furnace of hot air inside blasted outward, but she never took her eyes off Therese. “I hope so.”


	11. The Night

“I can’t believe your two weeks here are almost over. What am I supposed to do without my hiking and biking buddies?” Therese lamented. She pouted at Dannie and Phil. “You better promise to come back for Labor Day.”

“Therese, the site has already been paid for. We’re coming back. Tell your ranger friend to put us next to each other,” Phil said. He was crouched building a fire, the first campfire they had been allowed to have. Weather conditions had cooled off a bit, and no winds were forecast for the weekend.

“I’m so glad you had your scissors,” Therese said. “I needed a trim so badly.”

“I don’t go anywhere without my scissors,” Dannie told her. “Now hold still,” Dannie instructed her. “I’m almost done.” 

Therese did her best to sit still at the end of the picnic bench where Dannie was cutting her hair. Dark locks dotted the towel wrapped around her shoulders and the ground beneath her.

“Don’t take too much off now,” a low voice behind them said. “I like it long.”

Therese grinned, unable to see their visitor. 

“Nah, we’re almost done here,” Dannie came around to the front of Therese and pulled a bit of hair from each temple together in front of her face, checking to see if the lengths matched. “Looks good,” he said, taking the towel off her. “You’re free to go.”

As Therese turned, Carol stepped toward her. She was in her uniform and carrying a clipboard, something Therese knew she carried when she was checking in new campers. Carol took a length of Therese’s hair in her fingers, lightly grazing her cheek. She let her fingers run to the ends before letting go.

“You look very nice.” Carol smiled at her.

Therese’s entire body warmed 10 degrees. She mumbled some sort of thanks, her scalp still tingling on one side where Carol had touched her hair, her eyes unable to leave Carol’s. Thankfully Phil, who had successfully started a small fire with kindling and was adding logs, saved her.

“Are you done with work soon?” he asked Carol. “You should join us when you’re off. We’re grilling some kebabs and playing cards tonight. It would be much easier with four people.”

Carol seemed to mull over the decision. She stared at the fire and then looked at Therese when she answered. “I think I could manage that. Sounds like fun.”

“There may be some drinking involved, too,” Dannie warned her, grinning and holding up his beer can.

“I could do some drinking,” Carol said. “I don’t work tomorrow. I’m on duty until six. I’ll change and be over after that.” Carol was still looking at Therese. “I need to finish,” she said. She gestured at her clipboard as she headed back toward the roadway. 

“See you soon,” Therese managed to utter. She waited until Carol was a couple of sites away before she hissed at the boys. “What are you doing?”

Phil took a few steps back from his roaring fire. “What? I’m just trying to help you out. Dannie boy and I have only one more day to play matchmaker. Not that it looks like you need it.” 

“She was just being nice,” Therese argued.

Phil batted his eyelashes and mimed Carol playing with her hair, “ _Oh, Therese, you look so pretty!_ ”

Therese smacked away his hand. “You two are assholes. Is this what it’s like having older brothers?”

* * *

Carol picked up on the second ring while Abby was mentally debating mushroom demi-glace or blue cheese crumbles. “Abs, what’s up?” 

Abby couldn’t remember the last time Carol had called her that. Plus, Carol sounded chipper, which was a rare thing these days. It took Abby by surprise.

“Hey. Whatcha doing?” Abby asked, knowing Carol’s shift had just ended. 

“I just got home and need to take a shower,” Carol told her.

“I’m craving a steak. Let’s head into town for dinner.” Abby said excitedly. “I’m going to be bad and totally get a loaded baked pot…” 

Carol cut her off. “Sorry, but I can’t tonight,” Carol told her. “I made plans.”

“Oh,” Abby responded, surprised. “You don’t usually have plans.”

“No, I don’t,” Carol agreed, “but I’ve been asked to dinner.” Neither woman spoke in the moment of silence that followed.

Abby knew the pause was awkward for both of them. She didn’t want to ask the next question, but she did anyway. “Is it a date?”

“No!” Carol quickly exclaimed. “Some people asked if I wanted to join them for dinner and card games, and I said yes.”

“So, campers?” Abby asked.

“Yes,” Carol confirmed. 

Abby wondered what would suddenly entice Carol to want to hang out with campers. It wasn’t like her. Abby knew it must have something to do with the girl. 

“That’s not your usual MO. Will that girl be there?” Abby asked. The pause before Carol answered seemed to go on forever.

“Yes, with her two friends. And she’s a woman, for the record,” Carol said coolly.

Abby thought Carol sounded unusually perturbed, but she let it go. Abby’s recent cravings for a slab of perfectly cooked meat were slowly being replaced by acid reflux. “So it’s serious then, you really like her.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Abby, it’s card games and grilled sausages or something - I don’t remember. It sounded like fun.” Carol was quickly becoming exasperated by the interrogation.

“It’s just that the Carol I know hasn’t been into having fun or doing much of anything, so it’s just a bit strange to suddenly hear you making plans with people.” Abby’s frustration was simmering, threatening to break the surface, and she struggled to reign it in. 

“You should be happy for me,” Carol told her. “Don’t you think it’s about time?”

“I guess, but it’s just weird,” Abby retorted. “Anyway, go have fun. I’ll talk to you later.”

She heard Carol suggest going for steak another night as she ended the call. Abby dropped her phone in her cup holder and stared out the windshield at nothing in particular. She wasn’t hungry anymore. 

She wanted to see who this woman was that had Carol so captivated.

* * *

Therese texted Richard again, asking why he hadn’t talked to her in nearly two weeks and didn’t respond to her last message. She was mildly irritated by his lack of communication, but she was also relieved that she didn’t have to think much about him during her time at the park. He did not respond to her text for two hours. When he did answer, it was cryptically succinct: “Need some space.” She didn’t reply. 

The sun could no longer be seen over the cliffs of the canyon, and the campground was starting to hum with evening activity. Phil was feeding more firewood into the fire. Therese contributed her box of firewood and her s’mores supplies to the evening. She offered to go on a beer run, but Phil said he had been to the store earlier and insisted they had enough. She shuffled a deck of cards while watching Phil stoke the fire and Dannie thread chunks of sausages and vegetables onto skewers. Both men refused her offer of help, so Therese just relaxed and sipped on her beer.

Therese saw Carol walking toward their campsites from the direction of the ranger station. Carol looked a bit lost without her flashlight, her hands stuffed in her jeans pockets, her eyes on her black Chuck Taylors. She completed her look with a fitted gray t-shirt with no logo or design. How she made a t-shirt and jeans look simple and classy was beyond Therese. Her hair was worn down, with one side tucked behind her ear. The wavy blonde curls on the other side of her face gently bounced with each step. Without her uniform, Therese thought she looked more vulnerable, more human, and more nervous. The butterflies in Therese’s stomach began their Cirque du Soleil routine, and she swallowed the large lump in her throat.

Carol looked up, flipping her hair from her face with a toss of her head. Her eyes instinctively and immediately found Therese, a smile crossing her face as she did. Therese stayed seated until Carol came closer, neither woman breaking eye contact. Finally, Therese laid down her deck of cards and stood up as Carol approached her.

“Hi.” She met Carol about 15 feet from where Dannie and Phil were busy arguing about whether to cook the kebabs over the fire or on the grill. Therese felt compelled to hug Carol in greeting, but the most physical they had ever been with each other was a hand on the arm. Plus, Carol’s hands were still buried in her pockets. Therese just stood there.

“Hi, you,” Carol said mischievously. “Miss me?”

Therese grinned. “Absolutely.” It had been less than two hours, but it was the truth. “Can I get you something to drink? Phil has a couple of kinds of beers and some cider.”

“Hey, Carol,” Dannie said, looking up from the marinade he was whisking with a fork. “Glad you could join us.”

“What do you want to drink, Carol?” Phil asked.

With a beer in hand, Carol found a camp chair and pulled it next to Therese’s. They watched Phil, who just couldn’t leave the fire alone, joking about being a self-proclaimed pyro. Dannie gave him orders to move the flames to one side so they could grill over the campfire’s embers, and Phil was happy to oblige. 

Therese reflected on how much she was going to miss the brothers. They were both really good guys, men who respected women, not like Richard who was seemingly stuck in some bad 60’s sitcom. Neither Dannie nor Phil would ever expect their wife to give up their career to stay home and raise kids. She had watched both of them capably and happily cook and clean for two weeks and found it refreshing to meet men who didn't succumb to gender roles. Maybe she would introduce them to a couple of her friends this fall. She knew quite a few single women from Portland who had attended undergrad at UW with her.

Carol touched her wrist, bringing her back. “Do they leave soon?” she asked, reading her mind.

“Yeah, tomorrow.” Therese couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. “I’m really going to miss them.”

“You’ll have new neighbors tomorrow night. I’m sure you’ll get to like them, too,” Carol told her encouragingly.

“Not like these guys,” Therese explained, watching the brothers interact with each other as they contemplated the best grill arrangement. “They’re like my brothers. I can’t explain it very well, but somehow I know we’ll stay friends after this summer. That said, I’m still sad they’re leaving.”

Carol reached over and gently squeezed Therese’s hand where it rested on the arm of her chair. Therese thought it fortuitous that her cup holder was on the opposite armrest, leaving the arm between them free to support their hands clasped together.

“I’ll still be here,” Carol said. “At least you’ll know someone.” Her hand stayed for a few more moments and then retreated. “Now, I seem to recall you promising to show me your rock collection.”

Therese’s mouth gaped at her. “Are you serious? I realize you’re probably just being nice. You really don’t have to.”

Carol continued to look at her expectantly. “I want to see it. Please believe me.”

In disbelief, Therese walked to her Subaru, opened the driver’s side door, and reached under the seat. She came back carrying a thin wooden box. Sitting in her chair, she opened it up and showed Carol its contents. Small rocks, no more than an inch wide, occupied each little square compartment. 

“I don’t see any fossils in here,” Carol said as she looked the box over carefully.

“Oh, please, woman,” Therese exclaimed. “The fossils have their own box.”

Carol laughed. “What is this one?” She picked up a purplish rock that looked like dozens of tiny spheres glued together.

“That’s purple grape agate crystal. It’s found in Indonesia,” Therese told her. Therese watched as Carol’s fingers traversed the surface as if memorizing each little protrusion. 

“It’s beautiful.” She carefully replaced it.

Phil hadn’t left Dannie with enough embers to properly cook the kebabs, so the brothers were making culinary adjustments over at the fire pit. Therese noticed them occasionally glance at her and Carol from the corner of her peripheral vision.

Carol pointed to another rock. “And this one?” Therese handed it to her. 

As Carol caressed the rock’s speckled black and blue surface with her fingertips, Therese told her, “That one is indigo blue covellite in copper ore from Butte, Montana.” Carol placed it back in Therese’s hand, her fingers soft and delicate on Therese’s palm.

“Where did you get this one?” Carol asked, picking up a golden circle. 

“That’s from Sparta, Illinois. It’s called a pyrite sun.” Carol picked it up and felt its weight in her hand. She replaced it in the box. 

“It’s heavy. Did you find it while visiting there?” Carol asked her.

“No,” Therese explained. “Many of these rocks are gifts my dad would bring home to me from his travels.”

“That’s very sweet,” Carol told her, looking up from the box to look her in the eye with a kind smile. “What is this?” she exclaimed excitedly. She held a perfectly spherical rock that had one side broken away to expose a perfectly spherical rock inside it, like a core.

“That’s called a concretion. I think that one is from Italy or Croatia. I don’t remember exactly,” Therese said apologetically. 

Carol asked questions about a few more of them, including one of Therese’s favorites, the pink rhodochrosite, before Phil told them their food was ready. As Therese dutifully put the rock back in its place and closed the box, Carol leaned over and gently kissed her temple.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

* * *

Darkness fell.

Empty beer cans and bottles had accumulated at one end of the table. The few dinner dishes soaked in a large stock pan on the propane grill. The laughter accompanying alcohol and good company had increased steadily through the night. Therese brought over her hanging lamp and lit the card game spread out on the tablecloth. Bare arms and sunscreen were traded for sweatshirts and bug spray. Carol wore Therese’s threadbare Nirvana sweatshirt, which she had reluctantly accepted as the desert night cooled. Phil kept the fire stoked, and the warmth called to them as they finished another game of Hearts. Carol had a competitive streak that had surprised Therese. In addition, she was willing to take risks and shot the moon twice in a single game, saddling them each with 26 points both times. 

Therese noticed that Carol seemed to like Dannie and Phil and they, in turn, appeared to like her. Phil even joked about whether she was going to make him move his tent again before dinner. 

Carol had a quick retort ready. “I’m just happy you followed my good advice, unlike some people I know.” Her remark was accompanied by a playful elbow in Therese’s ribs. 

Carol won the final game, the score being too lopsided for the rest of them to really have a chance. They moved to sit by the fire, and Carol again took the chair next to Therese. Dannie handed out the necessities to make s’mores and took his seat between Carol and Phil. 

“Here,” Carol threaded a marshmallow on the metal rod Therese had resting across her thighs as she unwrapped a Hershey bar. In exchange, Therese laid a chunk of the candy bar on top of the graham cracker waiting on Carol’s armrest. Carol glanced down. “Who makes s’mores with cookies and cream?” Carol asked, aghast. 

“I do,” Therese said defiantly. “It’s amazing.”

“No, I don’t believe it,” Carol said. “Maybe I’m a purist, but you have to use milk chocolate to make a proper s’mores.”

“You’re going to love it,” Therese assured her. “I promise.”

“I’m skeptical, too,” Phil chimed in. “But I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Me too,” Carol acquiesced.

Therese watched Carol roast her marshmallows patiently over dying embers. They toasted to a puffy, golden brown before she pulled them off to place on her cookie sandwich. 

Therese never could roast a marshmallow without it catching on fire somehow. She torched the first one to black crisp on one side and ended up sacrificing it to the campfire. Her second attempt did not fare much better. She blew it out twice when it started to catch fire. Finally, Carol took over.

“This is a good spot. It’s not too hot there,” she told Therese. She wrapped her hand around Therese’s and pulled Therese toward her. She positioned Therese’s marshmallow over the same embers she had used. 

Therese’s forearm rested on Carol’s knee, and she was so close she could smell Carol’s hair, a combination of woodsmoke and something floral. 

“Just turn it slowly so all sides get equal heat,” Carol said, her hand still resting atop Therese’s.

Additional heat was not something Therese thought was needed. 

“You’re right, this isn’t bad at all,” Carol said after her first bite of her s’more. “I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised.”

Therese smiled happily. Against her wishes, her marshmallow roasted perfectly and much too quickly for her liking. Reluctantly, she extricated herself from Carol’s personal space and made her own s’more. She devoured it as she watched Dannie roast a marshmallow until golden, pull off the caramelized shell, pop it into his mouth, and roast it again.

None of them noticed the woman walking through the campground in the darkness. None of them noticed her stop and watch from the shadows a few campsites away. None of them witnessed her sadness and disappointment when she saw the way Carol looked at the dark-haired woman next to her.


	12. The Invitation

It had only been a few days, but they were lonely days for Therese without Dannie and Phil. She missed the invitations for impromptu hikes or dips in the lake. She missed Phil’s cooking and Dannie’s jokes. She missed having someone she could talk to about Carol.

The couple from Pasco who had moved into the campsite upon the brothers’ departure were nice enough, but they told Therese in their first conversation that they had just been married that spring. They were very much consumed with one another and stayed to themselves for the most part.

Therese was fine with that. She was here for a purpose, and she needed to be dedicated to her thesis. Holding to her strong work ethic, she rose with the sun each morning and worked until lunchtime or until the temperatures were too unbearable. She was starting to get a tan, despite her continual use of sunscreen. In the afternoons and early evenings, she liked to take her laptop to the lake, find a nice picnic table or spot in the shade, upload photos, compile her data and notes, and write.

Therese spent the morning surveying the escarpment below the interpretive center. It caught the full morning sunlight, and she covered a good amount of ground as she carefully examined and classified the area above the talus slope. Her keen eyes paid off: Just before noon she spotted a pair of fossilized ostracods, an aquatic species that was a significant index fossil in biostratigraphy. It had a short lifespan and was widespread geographically, thus limiting the time period in which it could integrate into the sediment. 

Riding her wave of elation back to the campground, she found her good mood short-lived when she discovered the inverter she had been using to charge her laptop via the Subaru’s cigarette lighter was not working. Without her laptop, Therese was unable to work. She needed to find a solution.

As she walked toward the ranger station, she hoped Carol would be working. From her campsite, she could see a white truck parked next to the building. Carrying her laptop under her arm, she climbed the three steps up to the office. The door was open, and Carol was sitting at a desk looking at a monitor. 

“Hi. Can I come in?” Therese asked. Her heartbeats skittered like deer. She wondered if the heightened awareness of her own physiological functions she felt each time she saw Carol would cease anytime soon. She couldn’t recall being this aware of her body, her breathing, her heart rate.

“Of course!” Carol pushed her chair back from the desk. She seemed happy to see Therese.

“I have a favor,” Therese asked before she noticed someone else in the room. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She stopped just a few feet inside the door. An auburn-haired woman in a uniform that matched Carol’s, minus her duty belt, was sitting on the corner of the second desk. 

“Therese, this is Abby. We go way back. Abby’s been my best friend since college, and she’s also one of our dispatchers. Abby, this is Therese.”

Therese entered the office and extended her hand. Abby shook it and gave her a polite smile. “Nice to finally meet you,” she said. 

_Her voice._ _Why do I know her voice?_ Then it clicked. Abby had been the woman talking to Harge in the store. Thrown by her new knowledge, Therese stood tongue-tied until Carol jumped in. 

“You needed something?” Carol asked.

“Yes,” Therese held out her laptop. “The inverter I’ve been using to charge my laptop isn’t working. May I plug my laptop in here for an hour or two so I can work later today? I’ll order a new inverter and see if I can have it delivered in the next couple of days.”

“Sure, no problem. Do you want me to bring it to you in a couple of hours?” Carol asked as she took the laptop and charger.

“If it's no trouble. I can come back and get it when I see the office is open again if that’s more convenient,” Therese offered.

Abby had yet to move or say anything. She just watched their exchange with interest.

“It’s no trouble at all,” Carol said with a smile. “I can bring…” A woman’s voice on her radio cut her off.

“All units, this is Dispatch. Over.” 

Therese wondered who was with Carol on duty today.

Carol keyed her mic. “Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 645 at the Sierra Lima station. Over.”

A male voice responded. “Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 699 at the south end of Papa Lima. Over.” Carol and Abby maintained eye contact.

“All units, this is Dispatch. Report of brush fire north of lookout. Fire department is on their way. Over.” 

Carol jumped up, setting Therese’s laptop and charger on her desk haphazardly, and grabbed her keys. Carol spoke into the mic on her shoulder, “Dispatch, this is Papa Romeo 645. Copy. On my way. Over.”

“Papa Romeo 645, Dispatch. Roger. Out.”

The male ranger responded, “This is Papa Romeo 699. Copy. Be there in five. Out.”

The dispatcher responded immediately. “Papa Romeo 699, Dispatch. Copy. Out.

“Sorry,” Carol pushed past Therese. She started up her vehicle and sent gravel flying as she peeled out before Therese knew what was happening.

“Don’t be expecting to have a campfire tonight,” Abby told Therese. Therese turned back to find her still sitting on the edge of the desk looking at her. “The restrictions will go back into effect.”

Therese nodded solemnly. “Makes sense.”

Abby hopped off the desk and picked up Therese’s laptop. “She does that, you know,” she told Therese as she attached the cable and plugged the laptop in behind Carol’s desk. “She’s always the first one on the scene of any little fire. It doesn’t matter what she’s doing.”

Therese nodded again slowly.

“I’ll lock the office when I leave. She’ll see it on her desk later,” Abby said, dismissing Therese.

With a quick thanks, Therese retreated, her mind full of new information. 

* * *

Unable to work, Therese made a quick trip to the general store to stock up on a few supplies. As she came out of the store, she smelled smoke in the air, but couldn’t see anything. When she returned to her campsite, she made herself a turkey and cheddar sandwich before digging around in her dirty clothes duffel until she found the paperback mystery novel she had stashed in one of its pockets. Laundry would have to be dealt with sooner than later. She heard the resort near the general store had a laundromat, and she would need to find her way there soon.

Therese pulled both her camp chairs into the small bit of shade at her campsite. Settling into one, she propped her feet up on the other. Forty-five minutes later and three chapters in, Therese was deep into her mystery when a ranger’s vehicle parked in front of her campsite. Looking up, she felt her heart rate accelerate when Carol stepped out of the vehicle.

Carol was wearing the same uniform Therese had seen her in earlier, but she was now filthy. She was covered in dirt and soot from head to toe, including smudges on her cheek and forehead. Carol was carrying Therese’s laptop and smiling at her. 

“Is everything okay?” Therese asked, sitting up and putting her feet back on the ground. She dusted off the other chair and turned it around, motioning for Carol to sit. 

“Yeah, it was just a brush fire. Probably caused by a cigarette butt. People don’t realize how dry all this vegetation is. I’m tired,” Carol said, flopping down in the chair. She handed Therese her laptop. “All charged up. I’m sorry I ran out earlier.”

“Carol! It was a fire. I completely understand,” Therese said. She looked down at her laptop. “Thank you so much. I just can’t do anything without it. Speaking of which, I can order a new inverter, but I realized I don’t actually have an address to have it delivered.” She giggled. “Do you think I could have it sent to you at the ranger station?”

“No,” Carol said, “we don’t actually get any mail there. Just have it sent to my house. I’ll bring it to you as soon as it arrives.”

“That’s nice of you. Thank you,” Therese said. She jumped up to get a piece of paper and pen for Carol to write her address on. “Can I get you something to drink? I know you’re working, but I have water and iced tea.”

“An iced tea would be lovely,” Carol said. Therese could feel Carol’s eyes on her as she moved around the campsite. She prayed that no emergencies would come across Carol’s radio for at least a few minutes.

Carol took a large swallow of her iced tea as Therese sat back down. She pushed the hair from her face and tucked it behind one ear. Finally, she cleared her throat. “Speaking of my address, I was wondering if you might like to come over tonight for a glass of wine?”

Ice caps melted and formed anew before Therese responded, or at least that’s what it felt like to Carol as she waited for Therese to speak. Carol saw Therese’s answer telegraphed upon the dimpled smile that she adored. 

“Yes.”

“Good,” Carol said quietly, returning Therese’s smile. She pulled her cell phone from her breast pocket and handed it to Therese. “Why don’t you give me your phone number, and I can text you when I’m done. I’m going to need to shower first, obviously,” she said, motioning to her filthy clothes. 

Therese took her phone and typed in her name and number. She handed it back to Carol. Carol finished her iced tea and stood up. 

“So what kind of wine do you like?” Carol asked Therese.

Therese hesitated, her green eyes looking up at Carol. “I don’t really like wine.” She shrugged her shoulders and grinned unabashedly. “I didn’t say yes because of the wine.”


	13. The Dark

Carol wrapped her body in one towel and her hair in another and picked up her phone. She sent a quick text to Therese.

**Just got out of the shower - come on over. Remember where?**

The response came back promptly.

**Yes**

Carol looked in her refrigerator. The best she could manage was some cheese and crackers and some green grapes. It would have to do. At least she had picked up some beer for Therese at the store on her way home. Ever since the charming ‘Yes,’ Carol couldn’t concentrate on anything besides seeing Therese, and she simply couldn’t wait any longer.

She pulled on some capri pants and a short-sleeved cornflower-blue linen shirt. Tossing the wet towels and her smoky clothing in her hamper, she quickly pulled up her comforter in a meager attempt at making her bed and ran her fingers through her wet hair. In a rare and unusual move, she turned off her work radio. Tonight she looked forward to spending time with Therese, and the last thing she wanted was an interruption. 

The doorbell rang. Carol realized she hadn’t taken any time to put makeup on in her hurry to be with the woman standing on her doorstep. _Oh well,_ thought Carol. _Too late now._ She took a deep breath and opened the door.

The woman who almost always wore hiking boots and t-shirts was standing on her doorstep in a green and white spaghetti strap sundress that fell just above her knees. Simple brown sandals adorned her feet. The color of the dress made Therese’s eyes even more vibrant, and Carol felt her chest constrict.

“Oh, wow. You look lovely,” she managed to say, at a loss to say anything else. She hadn’t been prepared for Therese to change.

“You look - cleaner,” Therese said with a giggle. “But you look nice, too.”

Carol chuckled and ran her fingers through her wet hair again. The awkwardness had dissolved, and it was just the two of them again. “Come in.”

Therese closed the door behind her and looked around Carol’s living room.

“Make yourself comfortable. I bought the beer you like. Can I pour you one?” Carol asked her.

“I’m sorry,” Therese hung her head. “Wine would have been fine. You didn’t have to get any beer.”

“I wanted to,” Carol said with a wink. She stepped into the kitchen to get their drinks. Out of the corner of her eye, Carol watched Therese wander over to her bookshelf to look at her books and knick-knacks. Therese stopped in front of the painting over the couch.

“This is really beautiful,” Therese called from across the room. The scene looking toward Dry Falls had been painted with watercolors. The artist had chosen to push the paint color for the rocks toward the pinkish end of the spectrum and the paint color for the sagebrush toward a cool green. While the scene was drawn with lifelike accuracy, the color choices were not, giving the painting an unusual air.

“I’ve had it for many years,” Carol explained as she poured Therese’s beer into a cold glass. She hoped Therese would move on. She did not. In fact, Therese leaned even closer to the painting.

“Cantrell?” Therese tried to read the artist’s signature. “Is that someone famous?”

“No,” Carol answered, stepping beside her. “Here.” She held out Therese’s beer. To her relief, the drink distracted Therese, and she looked at Carol instead.

“Thank you,” Therese said before she sipped from her frosty glass. “Fancy. I don’t think I’ve had anything to drink that hasn’t come out of a can or bottle in three weeks,” she quipped. She wore her hair down, something Carol had rarely seen her do, aside from when Dannie was cutting it. The ends barely danced on her shoulders.

“My duty schedule is so random that I forget normal people eat at normal times,” Carol admitted. “I can’t offer you a decent meal, but I have a little cheese plate if you’re hungry,” Carol told her. 

“That sounds great,” said Therese, coming closer and popping a grape in her mouth. “I wasn’t expecting dinner.”

“Let’s take it out back,” Carol said, picking up her own pint of beer and the plate of cheese and crackers. “Can you get the door?”

Carol’s backyard consisted of the lawn between the back of her house and the talus slope of the cliff behind it. Unfenced, but neatly mowed, it consisted of a barbeque grill, a table and chairs, and a gliding swing with a yellow and blue awning and matching pillows. A low wicker table with a glass top stood in front of the swing. Carol walked toward it and set down the cheese tray. She patted the seat on the glider beside her. “Join me.”

The sun’s rays no longer reached the canyon, and the air was warm and pleasant. Therese took a seat beside Carol, kicked off her sandals, and tucked her legs beneath her. Carol moved the cheese and crackers between them and gently pushed off with her foot, sending the glider swinging rhythmically forward and back.

“So tell me. Have you discovered anything exciting?” Carol asked her, placing a piece of cheddar on top of a multi-grain cracker before taking a bite. 

“In life, or work?” Therese asked, a glint in her eye.

Carol’s mouth turned up slightly. “Let’s say work.”

“Well, yes, I did since you asked. I found a pair of ostracods! They are a tiny little aquatic species.” She tossed another grape into her mouth.

Carol could tell Therese was ecstatic, but intentionally toning down her excitement. “I’m so happy for you. You must have good eyes. Did you find them separately or together?”

“Together,” Therese fixed herself a cracker. “But it’s not all about just finding fossils. Most of my research is about documenting the strata itself. Fossils are a fun bonus.

Carol used the time while Therese chewed her cracker to ask her the question that she had been thinking about for some time. “Therese.” Therese looked at Carol as she washed down her bite with a drink of her beer. “I have Sunday off. I was wondering if you would like to spend the day with me? I know where there is a fossil in the area and thought we could go see it together. I could show you parts of the canyon you might not have had time to visit. Would you be interested in that?” The questions came out much more timidly than she intended. She ran her finger around the top of her pint glass.

Therese took her time with her answer. “Did you find out about this fossil from when you worked at the Interpretive Center?”

“Yes,” Carol answered, surprised by the question.

“So Sunday would be like a tour because you know the area well?” Therese asked cautiously.

Carol’s mind raced to see where Therese was going. “I guess so.” She had the horrible feeling that something was wrong.

Therese looked dejected. “Oh,” she said quietly and laughed self-consciously, a rosy blush blooming on her chest. “I was kind of hoping it was a date.” 

The swing stopped.

Carol’s mind reeled, searching for a way to adequately communicate a sliver of the magnitude of the things she was feeling. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear and breathed in deeply, not realizing she had been holding her breath. “Therese,” she said quietly, taking Therese’s hand into hers and looking right into her eyes. “I cannot promise you a movie or a show or a fancy dinner, but I would love to spend Sunday with you - on a date - if you would let me.”

It took a moment before Carol’s words launched a radiant smile that moved across Therese’s face like the shadow of a cloud being swept away by the wind. “I would love that.” Her eyebrows arched, her eyes shining bright. “What kind of fossil is it?” she asked excitedly.

Carol’s foot pushed the swing back and forth again, life in motion once more. 

“It’s a surprise,” Carol told her with a twinkle in her eye and a squeeze of Therese’s hand. “Now, no more fossil questions.”

* * *

The night air felt warm and inviting, the kind of nights that were meant to be spent outdoors. Purple skies faded to a jet black backdrop strewn with pin-pricked stars. The moon had yet to rise, and Therese realized just how dark the night could be. She could barely make out Carol’s house, helped only by the fact it was painted pale yellow.

They had talked on the swing for hours. Between the two of them, they finished a six-pack of beer. Their conversation touched on their surroundings, places they had lived, foods they liked, music, and books. Carol had asked Therese about her dad’s travels, and Therese had asked Carol about her call sign.

“Why do you say ‘Papa Romeo 645’ when you’re on your radio?” she asked, her pint glass empty, her legs still tucked beneath her on the swing. She leaned on her arm that rested on the back of the glider and looked at Carol expectantly.

“That’s my call sign,” Carol told her. “PR 645. PR means I’m Park Ranger 645. We use a phonetic alphabet, so the word we use for P is Papa and for R, Romeo.”

“I wondered why it was Romeo. I heard the guy on the radio say the same thing,” Therese said.

“Yes,” Carol told her. “Sometimes you’ll hear Charlie Delta for Camp Delany, Delta Lima for Deep Lake, Papa Lima for...“

“Park Lake?” Therese asked, her eyebrows shooting upward.

“Yes,” Carol chuckled. “Now you know our code.”

Therese sat up and used her feet to feel around for her sandals. “I should get back,” she said. “This was really nice. Thank you for inviting me over.”

“Early day?” Carol asked, stopping the swing completely. 

“Honestly?” Therese asked with a tipsy giggle. “I have to get up early to make sure I can get a few machines at the laundromat. This was literally the last clean thing I had to wear.”

“I like it,” Carol said, reaching out and feeling the fabric, her fingers brushing Therese’s thigh. “The color brings out your eyes.” She stood up. “Come with me.”

Therese followed Carol back toward her house. Carol moved with certainty, like a woman who possessed feline night vision. Therese, now feeling the three beers and blind in the darkness, struggled to follow behind her. Finally, Carol flicked on the porch light, and Therese caught up and made her way inside. 

Carol closed the back door and pointed behind it to a small alcove where a washer and dryer stood. “Come over and use mine tomorrow. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll leave the door unlocked. My shift starts at 6:00.”

“Six in the morning?” Therese asked incredulously. “I need to let you go to sleep.” She opened the back door.

“So you’ll do your laundry here then?” Carol asked her.

“Yes,” Therese acquiesced. “Thank you. You don’t mind me being here?”

“Of course not,” Carol said. “Make yourself at home. Feel free to watch tv, read, nap, or work. Is that all you brought with you?” she asked, nodding her head toward Therese’s phone in her hand. Therese nodded. “I’ll walk you back.”

“No, you need to sleep,” Therese insisted. “It only took me a few minutes to walk over here.”

Carol already had her Maglite in her hand. “Good. It will only take me a few minutes to walk you back.”

“You can walk me to the ranger station,” Therese compromised. “I can see my tent from there.”

“I know you can,” Carol said mischievously. “Fine. Ready?”

They walked around her house, down the driveway, and into the middle of the road. Carol had yet to turn on her flashlight. Therese tried to stay right next to Carol so she knew where to walk.

“Is this safe?” Therese asked, turning around and trying to look down the two-way road behind her. All she saw was a wall of blackness.

“The gates are locked. There won’t be any vehicles on this road for a while. Patrol has already covered this portion,” Carol’s said from close by.

“How do you see where you are going?” Therese asked timidly, holding her hands out in front of her. “I’m scared I’m going to run into something.” She looked up at the stars, the tiny dots of light the only thing she could pick out around her.

“I won’t let you,” Carol said, and Therese felt Carol take her hand. They walked along the road that circumvented the lake. Therese could tell by the smooth feel of asphalt beneath her sandals. Carol’s hand in hers made her breathing quicken despite their leisurely pace.

Frogs croaked by the hundreds as they walked past tiny Mirror Lake. Crickets sang by the thousands. Therese looked up at the millions of stars above her. Suddenly, an unexpected wave of emotion washed over her, and she stopped. Carol stopped, too.

“What is it?” she asked softly, coming to face Therese.

Reticence gripped Therese, but the innate need to share with Carol spurred her on. “Carol, doesn’t it feel like we are the only two people on earth right now?” she whispered. She was left breathless and overwhelmed. The darkness held her words like a precious secret. 

Carol dropped her hand. Therese felt Carol’s fingertips first caress her cheekbone, then trace down her jaw before they slipped behind her neck. Carol’s warm breath announced her proximity right before her lips brushed Therese’s. Therese’s body melted into the kiss, her free hand settling into the crook of Carol’s arm. Carol pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. Therese had no idea if her eyes were open or closed. All she could taste, all she could feel, was Carol. Carol, whom she had dreamed about, Carol who had permeated her every thought over the last few weeks. 

Carol wrapped her arm around Therese, and Therese was semi-aware of the Maglite pressing into her shoulder blade, but more aware of Carol’s softness and warmth. Therese did her best to cling to Carol despite her phone in one hand.

When they finally pulled apart, both women gasped, their need for oxygen only slightly greater than their need for each other. Embracing loosely with soft caresses, they silently enjoyed a few moments of being together, both unwilling to sever the connection. Eventually, Carol took Therese’s hand again, and they resumed walking.

Therese began to make out light in the dark. As they passed by the front of the ranger station, a meager 60-watt light bulb above the side door feebly attempted to penetrate the inky blackness. Carol stopped. 

Therese’s eyes started to adjust, and the dim bulb on the nearby building helped her to make out Carol’s face. They were at the ranger station, the midpoint, the mutually agreed upon place that they would part. 

Without breaking their gaze, Therese stepped backward toward the campground and tugged Carol’s hand. Carol held her ground, something unreadable in her eyes. Therese tugged again, but Carol stood firm and almost imperceptibly shook her head. Therese closed the distance between them and kissed Carol again. While their first kiss had been exploratory and sensual, this one was not. The passion that had been simmering rose to a full boil, but Carol quickly ended the kiss before it had a chance to go further.

“Goodnight, Therese,” she whispered, letting their arms stretch out until their fingers slid past each other’s. She disappeared into the dark.


	14. The Laundry

The dryer buzzed. Therese borrowed Carol’s laundry basket to carry her clean clothes to the couch. After switching the load in the washer to the dryer, she sat down in Carol’s living room to fold her clothing and watch Netflix. She quickly found a sitcom she needed to catch up on. As she carefully put her folded clothes away in her duffel bag, she heard a key in the lock. Momentarily excited to see Carol, Therese’s hope disintegrated when Abby came through the doorway.

“I wondered who was here,” Abby said without preamble. She wore her work uniform and carried an identical shirt on a hanger.

“Carol offered to let me do my laundry here,” Therese explained, suddenly feeling guilty for some reason.

“Mmm.” Abby stood there a few seconds. “I’m just going to put this in her closet. She loaned me a clean shirt after I spilled coffee on my last clean uniform.” Abby turned into the hall that led to Carol’s bedroom.

Therese nodded. She turned the volume on the television down a few notches and went back to transferring folded clothes from the laundry basket to her duffel bag. To her surprise, Abby didn’t leave when she returned. She went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Pulling out a Diet Coke, she cracked the can open and came back and settled herself on the arm of Carol’s upholstered armchair.

“Carol tells me you’re working on your thesis,” Abby stated. She had yet to look at the TV but instead stared intently at Therese.

“I am,” Therese confirmed. “I’ll be here for the duration of the summer.”

“It’s a good thing you found a free laundromat then,” Abby replied, the sitcom’s laugh track incongruous to the conversation happening live.

“I’m only doing my laundry here because Carol offered, but yes, it was very kind of her. I’ve heard the machines at the resort are hard to come by.” Something about the tone of the conversation was making Therese’s blood simmer.

“So, what is your field of study?” Abby asked her, looking bored.

“Geology,” Therese responded. She folded one of her sports bras in half.

“Are you finding what you’re looking for here?” Abby asked, her eyes narrowing at Therese.

This time Therese took her time answering. Holding eye contact with Abby, she finally said, “I am.”

Abby took a long drink from her Diet Coke. She watched Therese arranging her clothes in her bag. Finally she said, “She’s fragile. I hope you know what you’re getting into, girl.”

“I have degrees in geology and environmental earth science. I am working on my Master’s degree. I’m hardly a girl,” Therese retorted sharply.

“You have spunk. No wonder she likes you,” Abby said, crossing her legs.

“Have I done something to offend you?” Therese asked, feeling her face grow warm.

“It has nothing to do with you,” Abby told her icily.

Before Therese had a chance to respond, Carol came through the front door, startling them both. She stood in front of the television.

“There’s a party at my house and everyone forgot to invite me.” She smiled and looked between the two women. 

Emotions stirred wildly inside Therese as images of Carol kissing her last night came rushing back like a tsunami reaching shore.

“What brings you here, Abigail?” Carol asked. She walked over to Abby, took the Diet Coke from her hand, drank, and handed it back to her.

“I returned your work shirt. It’s hanging in your closet. It’s clean,” Abby told her.

“Thank you. What time are you on today?” Carol asked, glancing at her watch.

“In about 15 minutes,” Abby replied, looking at Therese. “Who else is on today?” she asked, looking up at Carol.

“Jack. He’s out on the boat doing a patrol of the lake,” Carol told her. “You know he wants the record for the most PFD citations in one summer.”

Abby scoffed.

“How’s laundry going?” Carol asked Therese with a smile.

“It’s going well. The last load is in the dryer,” Therese told her. She shifted a bit uncomfortably on the couch with both women’s eyes on her.

“Well, I’m off,” Abby said suddenly, jumping up. “Jeanette hates it when I’m late.” 

“As she should,” Carol chided her. “I think it’s good to show up on time to at least one place in your life.”

“You love my free spirit,” Abby retorted as she moved toward the front door.

“At times,” Carol said. “I’ll talk to you soon.” 

“Good luck,” Abby said over her shoulder as she made eye contact with Therese on her way out the door, “with your laundry.” 

Therese didn’t say anything but breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind Abby.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Carol asked her.

“No, thanks. I’m fine.” Therese said, setting the empty laundry basket down on the floor.

“Help yourself to anything if you change your mind.” Carol sat down in the armchair on which Abby had been leaning. “Was she hard on you?” Carol asked.

“I get the feeling she doesn’t like me,” Therese admitted, folding her hands in her lap.

“Abby doesn’t like many people, especially anyone I…” Carol brushed her hair off her face. “…well, you know.” 

Therese watched Carol carefully choose her words. 

Carol continued. “She tends to be overprotective and a bit possessive. I’m sorry.”

“I think she has feelings for you,” Therese blurted out. Carol was so quiet that Therese had an apology ready when Carol finally spoke.

“Yes, I think she has for some time now,” Carol said quietly. She moved over to the couch to sit next to Therese, so close that her left knee touched Therese’s right knee. She covered Therese’s hand with her own. “But I like  _ you _ , and that’s all that matters. Right?”

Therese couldn’t help but break into a smile. Carol squeezed her hand before standing up.

“I have to get back to work,” she said. “Do you mind locking the door when you leave?”

“Sure,” Therese replied. “Thanks again. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course,” Carol said, her hand on the doorknob. “I’ll catch you later. Oh, bring a swimsuit on Sunday. And boots.” Then she was gone.

* * *

Abby had seen the vehicle parked in Carol’s driveway and would have stopped by whether she had Carol’s clean shirt with her or not. She recognized Therese’s vehicle from the evening she had spied upon Therese and Carol at the campground from her clandestine hiding place in the darkness.

Therese had been surprised to see her walk in, and Abby could tell her mere presence made Therese uncomfortable. She had stayed longer than she had intended simply because she relished the feeling.

It wasn’t Therese that bothered Abby, but the idea of Therese itself. The girl actually seemed nice enough. Abby had simply waited too long. Why was there always someone or something in her way? This should have been  _ her _ time. 

Abby pulled into work and parked in her usual spot. She got out and slammed her car door harder than necessary. She knew that seeing Therese in Carol’s house was going to distract her all throughout her shift. 

* * *

When Abby showed up Saturday night after their shift with a bottle of wine, Carol was happy to see her. They hadn’t spent much time together outside of work in the last week or so. Unfortunately, Carol was right in the middle of getting things together for her day date with Therese that was lingering just over 12 hours away.

Abby had let herself in, something Carol didn’t usually mind. She had, after all, given her a key. However, Carol had laid her things out for the next day and wasn’t in the mindset to field curious questions.

Abby held up a bottle of white wine. “Shall I pour us some glasses? It’s already chilled.” 

Carol was in a mood for a beer, but she and Therese had finished all of them. “Sure,” she answered, but Abby had already pulled out two glasses and was rummaging through the drawer for the wine key. Carol walked closer as Abby opened the bottle and poured, and then she accepted one of the glasses from her. 

“Here’s to not working,” Abby said, raising her glass in a toast. They moved toward the living room.

Abby stopped when she noticed the articles laid out on Carol’s coffee table. “Going swimming?” she asked, motioning to a bottle of sunscreen and Carol’s suit folded next to her open backpack.

“Maybe,” Carol said offhandedly. “You never know.”

Abby settled into the armchair, and Carol quickly shoved the items into her backpack.

“That’s a strange thing to say,” Abby told her. “Most people have an idea if they’re going to end up in a body of water or not.”

“I’m showing Therese around tomorrow,” Carol admitted. “It’s supposed to be hot, and we may need to stop and swim to cool off. Nothing definite.” She avoided eye contact with Abby.

Abby sat silently until Carol zipped the bag shut and set it on the floor. It wasn’t until Carol sat back and took a drink from her wine that Abby spoke.

“I just wonder if you know what you’re doing.”

“Well, I’m actually a self-taught swimmer, so probably not,” Carol quipped, trying to avoid the conversation.

“That’s not what I meant,” Abby said drily.

“Do any of us know what we’re doing?” Carol fired back, her blue eyes cold. Her tone must have been enough to warn Abby to change course because she immediately dropped the subject.

“You know what we should do?” Abby asked, her voice suddenly upbeat.

“What?” Carol had no idea what the answer might be. 

“We should put on some clay face masks and watch a movie. Let’s eat ice cream for dinner and wash it down with wine,” Abby had a sparkle in her eye. “Do you have any ice cream?"

“Am I your best friend?” Carol asked her with a wink. “I can’t remember the last time we’ve had a movie night. I’m just happy you suggested something indoors. I’m not about to leave my air conditioning. Do you want some shorts or sweats to lounge in?”

“Absolutely,” Abby said, setting down her glass and getting up.


	15. The Fossil

A chipper Carol buzzed around her kitchen, alternating between making coffee and sandwiches. She had waited all week for this. She whistled a song as she separated coffee filters and measured out grounds. Picking up her phone, she composed a quick text to Therese.

**Good morning**

She waited, staring at her phone. She wondered if maybe Therese had forgotten about today. Carol set it back on the counter and tried to fend off disappointment. As she took mozzarella cheese out of the refrigerator, her phone vibrated. She grabbed it.

**Good morning! Just showered.**

Carol smiled and sent a question back.

**How do you like your coffee?**

She watched the three little dots expectantly.

**2 creams, 1 sugar. Thanks!**

Carol sent a thumbs-up emoji and typed:

**Pick you up in 15 min. Enough time?**

Therese texted back immediately, sending a smiley face along with her reply.

**Yes!**

Carol finished making their sandwiches and poured them each a to-go mug of coffee, carefully making Therese’s coffee to her specifications. Carol packed their lunches with the rest of her stuff in her backpack, grabbed the coffees, and headed out.

When Carol arrived at Therese’s campsite, Therese jumped down from where she had been waiting on the large rock at the entrance to her site. Her hair was still wet, and Carol could tell she had her swimsuit on under her tank top due to the bikini’s ties sticking out around her neckline. She quickly got in Carol’s truck. She was beaming.

“I’m so used to seeing you in the park’s truck that it didn’t occur to me you had your own vehicle,” Therese told her as Carol handed Therese her coffee.

“It’s basically the same truck,” Carol said, “just a different color. I was so used to it, I just got the same thing in navy.” She turned right and headed toward the campground exit.

“Thanks for the coffee,” Therese said, after taking a sip. “Where are we going?” she asked excitedly.

“I thought we could do a little hiking at Blue Lake. Have you been there yet?” Carol asked, taking a sideways glance at her before she turned left to drive around Park Lake. 

“I only saw part of it on a bike ride,” Therese answered.

“I know you hike every day, but it's the only way to see the fossil,” Carol apologetically told her.

“That’s okay,” Therese said. “I like hiking. It’s so beautiful here.” She adjusted the vent near her window to direct the air at her face. “It will be nice to hike with someone. I’m usually by myself.”

“I have something for you,” Carol said, suddenly remembering. She reached across and opened the glove box, her arm brushing against Therese’s bare legs. She pulled out a small padded envelope and handed it to Therese. “Your package came.”

“My inverter!” Therese exclaimed, putting her coffee in a cup holder and ripping open the packaging. “Now I don’t have to bother you to charge my laptop anymore.”

“It was never a bother,” Carol said, gently touching Therese’s knee. “I’ll let you know when you’re a bother.”

They didn’t speak for the next couple of minutes. Carol noticed Therese taking in the scenery as they arrived at Blue Lake and parked. They both exited the vehicle, taking a moment to get their backpacks.

“Is there anything you want to leave in the vehicle?” Carol asked as she rummaged around in her own backpack.

“Maybe my beach towel. Will we be swimming here?” Therese asked.

“No,” Carol said, shaking her head. “Good call. Let’s leave the towels in the truck. Do you need a bottle of water?” Carol asked her.

“I have one. Thank you,” Therese said, slinging her backpack onto her back.

“Okay. Let’s do this,” Carol said. She locked the vehicle and they made their way through some brush to the rocky trail.

Therese followed behind her, just off to her right. “Is this even a trail?” she asked, after a few minutes. “How do you know where you’re going?”

“It’s not a great trail,” Carol admitted, “but I’ve been here before. People do have trouble finding it.”

“So it’s a well-known fossil?” Therese asked. Their breathing became heavier as they climbed.

“I don’t know about well-known,” Carol said over her shoulder. “People know about it, but not many people make the effort to see it. It’s rather difficult to get to. It’s pretty high up - about 300 feet above the lake on the cliff’s side. We will take a switchback to make it easier. Once we get up there, we have to climb some pretty big rocks. I would normally ask if you are scared of heights, but I’ve seen the places you do your research.”

“You’ve seen me?” Therese asked, stopping.

Carol turned around. “Sure. You’re pretty easy to spot. Most people are not hiking where you are climbing.” She smiled at Therese.

They walked along in silence for half a minute. Therese’s sudden reticence made Carol wonder if she said too much. Maybe she felt strange that Carol had been watching her from afar.

“That makes me feel better,” Therese finally said. “I’m glad that if something happened and I went missing, someone might notice before it’s too late.”

“It’s brave, what you’re doing,” Carol told her, glancing back again. “You must be really invested.”

“I’m really motivated when it comes to my field and my career,” Therese said. “I wish I could transfer that motivation to other aspects of my life.”

Carol stopped and pulled her water bottle from the side pocket of her backpack. She uncapped the top and looked at Therese as she took a drink. “Some things motivate us, some don’t.” She shrugged and put her water bottle back. “It’s difficult to force ourselves to do certain things, especially if the task involved is an unpleasant one.” 

Therese seemed to mull over what Carol had said. Carol turned and continued walking. Therese followed her.

* * *

The switchback allowed them to reach a fairly level place on the escarpment, even if it wasn’t very wide. They stopped and surveyed the ascent. From here, the climb was nearly vertical and would involve scaling slumped basalt pillars whose flat faces provided little handholds or footholds. 

“That’s where we are going,” Carol said pointing up to the left. “We will have to help each other out in order to get there.”

Therese returned her digital camera to a pocket in her backpack and swung the bag back around. She had used their break to take a photo of aptly-named Blue Lake, its surface shimmering like a sapphire some 200 feet below them.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she said, facing Carol. 

Carol held out her hands in a basket and bent down. “I’ll give you a boost.”

Therese looked up at the basalt column in front of them and determined where she would grab on. She placed her right hiking boot in Carol’s hands, and in synchronization, Therese lifted herself upward using her arms as leverage as Carol boosted her. It worked, and most of her upper body breached the top of the boulder. She wiggled and using her knee, pulled the rest of her body up with her. She felt air on her exposed midriff where her shirt had gotten pushed up in the process. She stood up, straightened her clothing, and turned around. She had lost sight of Carol. She looked over the edge, and Carol was looking up at her.

“Everything okay?” Carol asked. 

As Therese gazed down on her, she noticed something that she hadn’t before. Maybe it was because Carol had been walking in front of her most of their day, but as she looked at Carol’s face, it occurred to her that Carol looked genuinely happy. It wasn’t the momentary look of happiness that comes when someone laughs at a joke or when something unexpectedly good happens, but a pervasive, underlying, holistic happiness. Carol looked like everything was right in her world, and Therese deeply hoped that she had played some part in that.

“Seriously, are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Carol’s eyebrows plunged.

Therese laughed. “I’m fine. You look happy,” she said.

Carol’s face registered surprise at the comment, but she recovered quickly. “I am happy,” she said. “Do I normally not look happy?”

“Not like this,” Therese admitted.

“I’m not usually happy like this.” She thoughtfully assessed Therese for a moment. “Are you going to help me up there before my neck is permanently stuck in this position?”

Therese grinned and stretched out on her stomach on the rock. Reaching toward Carol, she ordered, “Grab my hands. I’ll help pull you up.”

Carol looked down. She tested a foothold, kicked some loose rocks away, and then reached up toward Therese. “I’m ready.” 

Therese felt Carol’s soft yet strong hands in hers. Their eyes were still on each other. Carol used her foothold and stepped up. Therese pulled at the same time. Therese was suddenly presented with Carol’s chest right at eye level as Carol struggled to get her legs over the ledge. Therese scrambled to her knees and dropped one of Carol’s hands to wrap an arm around her.

“I got you.” She held Carol in a tight hug and pulled backward until Carol’s feet made it to the top of the rock. They both fell onto their backs.

“Whew!” Carol exhaled dramatically. “We might need to rethink our tactics.”

Therese laughed. Being with Carol was easy. Carol felt like someone she had known forever, even though they had only met weeks ago. Therese rolled on her side. “Can we keep going? It’s killing me being this close.”

It was Carol’s turn to laugh. She rolled on her side to face Therese. “I like it when you get excited.”

Therese considered how Carol might react if she knew exactly how excited Therese really was. Carol’s chest inches from her face kept replaying in her mind’s eye. The hot rock beneath them was burning her exposed skin, so she jumped up. “So that’s a yes?” She extended a hand to Carol. 

Carol took her hand and let Therese pull her up, shaking her head.

Together they perfected their technique and scaled another dozen basalt pillars. Therese’s skin felt sticky with perspiration and a layer of dirt by the time Carol finally stopped.

“This is it,” she said, breathing heavily, but barely able to contain the excitement her eyes betrayed.

Therese reached out to the rock face in front of her. She simultaneously ran her eyes and fingertips over it as she searched for a fossil, just as she had done many times before. “Give me a clue where to look,” she told Carol.

Carol took a step away from her. “In here,” Carol said pointing down to a hole in the rock face that had been behind her legs.

“The fossil is in a cave? You didn’t tell me the fossil was in a cave!” Therese nearly shouted with glee. She quickly moved toward Carol and dropped to her knees. She peered inside as she heard Carol digging around in her backpack beside her. A small Maglite appeared in front of Therese’s face.

“Here,” said Carol. “You go first. I don’t think it’s big enough for both of us to get in there at the same time.”

Therese grabbed the flashlight and turned it on. She crawled in, playing the light around the space. It was an oddly-shaped cave with a concave bottom and strange protrusions. She moved in further. She shone the light on all the cave’s walls, the floor, and finally the ceiling. 

“Okay, I need a clue. Is it super small?” she shouted over her shoulder toward the opening.

“I’m right here, Therese. You don’t need to yell,” Carol said with a low, warm laugh. Carol’s head and shoulders filled the small entrance to the cave. “And no, it’s not small.”

Again, Therese scanned the oddly-shaped interior of the cave whose largest dimensions were maybe four feet tall by seven feet long, if that. “Carol, I don’t see it.” She could only make out Carol’s silhouette in the cave entrance, but Therese could have sworn Carol was smiling.

“That’s because you’re in it, darling,” Carol said softly.

“I’m in it?” Therese repeated. Despite her high interest in the fossil situation, the term of endearment did not go unnoticed. She shone the light in Carol’s face. Carol flinched, but she was indeed smiling. Therese lowered the beam. “What do you mean?” Therese shone the light upon her own face so Carol could see her.

“You’re sitting inside the mold of a rhinoceros,” Carol told her proudly.

“What?” Therese asked in disbelief.

“I did a little research to brush up on the facts for you,” Carol told her. “It happened around 14.5 million years ago,” Carol began.

“So Pleistocene,” Therese murmured under her breath, her flashlight’s beam darting all around her as she saw the cave in a new light.

“The rhino was in the shallows of a lake during some volcanic activity, perhaps dead, because he’s on his back. When the lava reached the water, the water-cooled the outside portion of the lava creating…” Carol couldn’t finish because Therese jumped in again.

“Pillow lava,” Therese finished. “Of course.”

“Yes, the pillow lava formed around the body of the animal,” Carol said. 

“That’s why I noticed very little evidence of solutional sculpting in the cave,” Therese whispered quietly.

“They call this the Blue Lake Rhino. You entered the cave at one of the animal’s hindquarters. Hikers actually found some bones and teeth in here back in the 1930s,” Carol continued. “Shine your light on the ceiling for a moment.”

Therese did as asked. 

“Can you see a little round protrusion?” Carol asked her.

“I think so,” Therese answered.

“That’s the rhino’s belly button,” Carol told her, laughing.

“Oh my God,” Therese murmured. “This is amazing.” 

She turned around and laid the flashlight on the cave’s floor. She took Carol’s face in both her hands and kissed her. Carol reciprocated the kiss, her hand sliding behind Therese’s neck to pull her closer, her arm snaking around Therese’s waist, pressing their chests tightly together. Therese wound her fingers in Carol’s hair as lips as tongues melted and mingled.

“Thank you,” Therese whispered.

“I had a feeling you might like this,” Carol said quietly against her lips. 

Therese kissed her again. 


	16. The Leap

Carol and Therese sat outside the cave, their legs dangling over the basalt column that served as their seat. Blue Lake shimmered below, her waters appearing more and more inviting as midday approached. The sun heated their shoulders and backs, its presence demanding to be acknowledged and unable to be ignored. They drank from their water bottles and enjoyed the lake’s glass-like surface that mirrored the few fluffy white clouds above.

“If you can wait a bit for lunch, there’s an interesting place less than a 10-minute drive from here,” Carol told her.

“I can wait,” Therese said, turning toward her. “What makes it interesting?”

“More caves,” Carol said nonchalantly, with a small shrug of her shoulders.

“Really? Like this one?” Therese asked. She was ready to jump up.

“No,” Carol said. "Sorry to disappoint you. I think they’re just regular caves. I’m sure you can tell me more about them than I can tell you, at least regarding their formation,” Carol said. “But I do know some things.”

“Oh, I’m sure a woman of your age knows many things,” Therese said with a straight face.

Therese’s comment momentarily left Carol speechless. “A woman of my age?” she asked incredulously. “How old do you think I am?” It was the first time a discussion of their age difference had been broached.

“Like 40?” Therese asked without a beat and casually took a swig of water.

“Oh my God,” Carol said, shaking her head and looking out toward the lake.

Therese suddenly laughed and poked Carol lightly in the ribs. “Your face! I’m just teasing you.” When Carol didn’t respond right away, Therese lightly rubbed Carol’s back across her shoulder blades. “Honestly, I’m guessing we are probably about 10 years apart, and you don’t look anywhere near 40. I think you’re gorgeous and couldn’t care less how old or young you are.” She tucked a lock of Carol’s hair behind her ear in order better to see her face.

Carol finally let a wry smile slip through. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?” 

“It was pretty funny. Admit it.” Therese’s hand continued to glide gently over Carol’s back.

Carol leaned to the side and gave Therese a nudge. “Just a little funny.”

* * *

Purple sage sprung up alongside the trail, and rust-colored lichen dotted the flat faces of the rocks they passed on their way to the Lake Lenore Caves. Bright green Indian hemp held the only contrast to the otherwise drab landscape.

Above them, towering chimneys of basalt stood apart from the colonnades, appearing like soldiers standing sentry. The hike was easier than the one to the Blue Lake rhino, but the hiking surface was the same: angular, jagged rocks that forced them to watch their every step. They hiked along the entablature, its broken pieces of every size creating an otherworldly, stony terrain.

"Who used the rocks to make these steps?" Therese asked, climbing the man-made portion of the trail.

"I'm not sure," Carol said. "It might have been a WPA project back in the 30s. The caves are just up ahead,” Carol said, turning her head back toward Therese as she spoke. 

As they crested the last leg of the trail, Therese could see the caves lined up in a row. Low, gently sloping, and wider than they were deep, many looked big enough to parallel park a school bus inside. Some caves were within a couple of dozen feet of the next.

The walls and ceilings of the caves were marked with the same cuboidal rocks common in the area, and they jutted out in uneven, brick-like mosaics. The caves’ floors looked as if someone had upset a basket of Lego building blocks.

Therese entered the first cave. It was low enough that she had to duck as she picked her way towards the very back. Even then, she was only a dozen feet from the entrance. Carol watched as Therese ran her hands over the surface of the caves. She smiled to herself as she watched Therese easily slip into geologist mode.

“These caves are unusual,” Therese turned and told her, her voice echoing outward. “Most caves are formed when rainwater becomes acidic from the carbon dioxide in the air. Over time, it dissolves parts of the rock that is more soluble, like limestone. But of course, this isn’t limestone.” 

Therese moved to the other side of the cave and continued her exploration. She pulled her camera from her bag and snapped a few photos. Carol watched Therese with interest, happy to let her take all the time she needed.

“Those kinds of caves have smoother surfaces, and you’ll see evidence where calcium carbonate precipitates and eventually deposits to form stalagmites and stalactites.” Therese turned and put her hands on her hips.

“So how were these caves created?” Carol asked. “Erosion?”

“Basically,” Therese explained. “At one point, these caves were at the water’s level. The water would freeze and thaw, weakening the joints between the basalt and causing further cracking. Then floodwaters and erosion helped wash some of the weakened basalt away.”

“The Native Americans in the area would come here to hunt and forage,” Carol contributed.” They used the caves to store their supplies and tools. A lot of artifacts were discovered here, but they’ve all been removed for safekeeping.”

“You  _ do _ know some things.” Therese teased her, and Carol playfully waved it off.

They explored a few more caves, some wider and some deeper than the others. At the last cave, Carol suggested they use the shade to enjoy their lunch. They found a large enough rock on which the two of them could sit, and Carol opened her backpack and started taking things out. She handed a sandwich to Therese who had just finished taking a photo of Lake Lenore.

“Did you make this?” Therese asked after taking a bite of sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and fresh mozzarella sandwich on ciabatta bread. “It’s really good.”

“I did, but I might have just shown you the extent of my cooking skills with that sandwich,” Carol admitted. “I’m not much of a chef.” 

“It was a perfect choice for today,” Therese said. “The warmth of the sun on your backpack made the cheese melty and soft, and all the flavors really come together.”

“Melty, huh?” Carol asked her with a grin.

“Mmm-hmm. Melty.” Therese doubled down and took another bite.

Carol reached into her backpack and set a plastic sandwich bag full of potato chips and another bag filled with apple slices between them. 

Therese glanced at her phone. “It’s 93 degrees,” she told Carol. 

“Where do you want to swim?” Carol asked her. 

“Deep Lake!” Therese responded immediately.

Carol eyed her. “Okay. Any particular reason why?”

“People were diving off the cliffs the day I was there! Don’t you think that sounds like fun?” 

Therese’s excitement normally would have been contagious, but Carol had been on top of those cliffs, and diving was not her preferred way down. “You are welcome to cliff dive if you want,” Carol told her. “I will watch you from below.”

“You have to come  _ with _ me,” Therese pretended to pout. “Certainly you’ve done it before having lived here so many years.”

Carol shook her head. “Negative,” she said.

“Do you have a fear of heights?” Therese asked, surprised. “They’re nowhere near as high as we are now - maybe only 30 or 40 feet.” Perplexed, her eyebrows furrowed.

“I don’t have a fear of heights,” Carol said dryly. “I have a fear of dying.”

Therese laughed. “You’re not going to die. Little kids were doing it. I’ll go with you. We’ll jump feet first.”

* * *

Carol parked in the same lot at Deep Lake where she and Therese had parted ways a couple of weeks ago. 

“We should probably leave anything you don’t want to get wet or lost in the truck,” Carol said.

“I just want my towel,” Therese replied. “Can I put my backpack back here?” She pointed to the area behind the seats.

“Sure,” Carol said. “I’m going to do the same, with the exception of my keys.” 

They stuffed their backpacks behind the seats and tossed their towels over their shoulders.

The emerald green waters at Deep Lake’s shoreline faded to deep indigo in the deepest parts. The vertical walled cliffs appeared to rise out of nowhere and looked even higher than Carol remembered. She followed Therese this time, who seemed to be hiking up to the diving spot in double time. It was hotter than hot, and Carol couldn’t wait to get into the water. She just wished she could do it from lake level without disappointing Therese.

As they reached the top, they realized a couple of teenage boys were just ahead of them, their board shorts and hair dripping from the last plunge. As they planned their next backflips and adjusted the GoPros, Therese and Carol quietly stripped down to their swimsuits behind them. A loud yell announced one of the boys had jumped as Carol pulled her shirt over her head. She avoided looking at Therese and removed her shoes and shorts, wrapped her clothing in a bundle surrounded by her towel, slipped her keys in one of her hiking boots, and tucked it all between some rocks. 

When she looked up, Therese was doing the same. Therese was wearing a teal two-piece that looked like it was custom-tailored for her slim body. The straps tied behind her neck, accentuating her collarbones and petite shoulders. A sudden war-whoop announced the second boy had jumped.

“I wish I hadn’t chosen a two-piece. I hope it survives the dive,” Carol said, adjusting her suit.  _ Or the fall. _ It was all semantics. In a matter of seconds, she was going to be hurling toward the water’s surface, out of control. Therese looked up at her, and although Therese tried not to show it, Carol saw her take in the amethyst-colored bikini with white piping that she wore. 

Together they walked toward the cliff’s edge. “It feels higher when you’re up here,” Therese said.

The exact thought had occurred to Carol, and hearing Therese say it did not help her anxiety. “So, why don’t we just go back...”

Therese cut her off. “No, we are going to do this. If they can do it, so can we.” Therese referred to the boys who were already halfway back up the trail to jump again.

“Ready?”

Carol didn’t answer. She stared at the water’s surface four stories below.

“Carol,” Therese laid a hand on her cheek. 

Carol looked at the shorter woman standing next to her on the precipice as her rapidly-beating heart threatened to break through her chest cavity.

“Carol, do you trust me?” Therese caressed her cheek before taking her hand. It comforted Carol. “Do you trust me?” she asked again softly.

Carol looked into Therese’s eyes, greener than the waters below, and smiled.

Together they jumped.


	17. The Trip

“Where are you?” Abby asked Carol, taking her eyes off of Highway 2 for a moment. Carol rode shotgun in Abby’s RAV4, but her mind was somewhere else.

“I was just thinking,” Carol said, sighing and lifting her chin off her hand that was propped against the side door. They were an hour and a half into their two-hour drive to Spokane. Carol had agreed to spend the day shopping with Abby. 

“I’m guessing you’re not thinking about which stores we should hit first,” Abby said, derisively.

“We can talk about that,” Carol said too agreeably, letting Abby know her heart wasn’t into it.

“Why don’t we talk about what’s going on with you first,” Abby suggested. “Then maybe I’ll have your attention for five minutes, and we can decide between going to the Apple store or Nordstrom.”

“Don’t be like that, Abs,” Carol said gently. “I just have a lot of stuff on my mind these days. And it’s you who wants to go to those stores. I want to go to Banana Republic.”

“Well, do you want to share some of this stuff with your best friend instead of carrying all that weight around yourself?” Abby asked. She turned off the music that had been playing.

“I’ve just been thinking about how fast this summer is going. It’s already a third of the way over. I can’t believe the Fourth of July is already next week,” Carol lamented. She crossed her legs, one strappy sandal slipping from her heel and hanging from her foot.

Abby glanced at the woman beside her. Even in the casual top and capri pants Carol wore, she somehow looked glamorous. Abby had seen Carol’s beauty early on. Carol had been the prettiest freshman in the dorms, even when she had just rolled out of bed. However, Carol never seemed to realize she was beautiful, nor was she aware of her beauty’s effect on others. On the contrary, Carol was almost oblivious to her looks. To complicate matters for Abby, Carol had only grown more beautiful as she got older, her features changing from pretty to elegantly classic, her demeanor acquiring a grace that was as rare as a week without rain in Seattle.

“Summer season always slips by when you’re busy,” Abby replied, signaling and passing a slow-moving vehicle. “Think about how long the winters are when there is so little to do.”

“I just wish I could slow it down a bit,” Carol said. 

“Because of her?” Abby asked, gripping the wheel with both hands. She purposely avoided using Therese’s name. They had made it this far without the subject of Therese coming up, but Abby could see that it couldn’t be avoided. Better to deal with it now and get it over so they could actually enjoy shopping and dinner.

“I keep telling myself I need to back away,” Carol said morosely, “but I just can’t seem to make myself. I know that this summer is going to end, and she’s going to leave, and then what?” Carol threw up her hands and paused. “I  _ know _ this, Abby,” she said forcefully, dropping her hands into her lap, “and yet I still want to be with her as much as possible." Her volume fell to just above a whisper. “I haven’t been able to stop myself from falling for her. I’m scared I'm getting in too deep.”

Abby absorbed Carol’s deluge and mulled it over for a quarter of a mile. “So is it worth staying the course if you’re going to be miserable come September?” Abby inquired, braking slightly when she noticed she had pushed her speed to over 85 miles per hour.

“Or do what? Just end things and be miserable now?” Carol asked, somewhat belligerently. “What are my options?”

“You already seem a bit miserable right now,” Abby told her. “Maybe she’s just not worth it if the situation with her makes you so depressed.” 

“I was depressed before Therese. This is a difficult choice, not depression,” Carol told her. 

“So maybe it’s just sex with no strings,” Abby offered.

“We haven’t even had sex,” Carol told her. “I don’t want that kind of relationship with her. Well, not  _ just _ that kind of relationship.” Carol quickly corrected herself.

Abby was slightly glad to hear they hadn’t slept together despite her unhappiness with the direction of the entire conversation in general.

“So why not just end things and stop being miserable?” Abby blurted out.

“Therese actually makes me really happy.” Suddenly Carol’s whole mood lightened. When I’m with her, at that moment, I’m so incredibly happy. I’ve never been so consumed by someone. She will just be talking about rocks, and sometimes I think I’m happier than I’ve ever been.” Carol gazed blissfully out the window at the golden fields of wheat flying by.

Abby didn’t know if she wanted to vomit or smack her forehead on the steering wheel, but she kept her composure. “Ever?” Abby asked, somewhat shocked. This bit of news was a surprise.

“Yes,” Carol whispered. Her answer was so faint that Abby wondered if she heard correctly. 

“Even with…” Abby started, but Carol quickly cut her off.

“Yes.”

“I guess I’m just a little surprised,” Abby finally said.

“Me too,” Carol said quietly. “But it’s true.”

* * *

Carol had only seen Therese in passing since their hike to the Blue Lake Rhino. Carol had mostly been working nights, and then she was forced to have one of her ‘coma days,’ where she slept through most of the day to get herself back to being diurnal in order to go on the shopping trip with Abby. 

Their trip to Spokane went fine, despite the awkward conversation in the car. Carol purchased some summer wear at Banana Republic, a new pair of sunglasses, and some Nike tennis shoes. Afterward, they ate at their longtime favorite restaurant downtown, The Onion. 

Carol was glad that she had let Abby know some of what she was feeling. It felt good to say it out loud to someone, even if Abby hadn’t been the most receptive person. While Carol enjoyed their little excursion, she was happy to be back in Sun Lakes late that evening and couldn’t wait to see Therese again the next day.

Carol texted Therese as soon as she woke up the next morning, hoping to catch her before she took off for one rock or another. Therese agreed to stop by Carol’s house after she showered and before she began her work. 

When Carol opened the door, she was surprised to see Therese standing there with very wet hair. “You didn’t have to rush,” Carol said, stepping back to let Therese inside.

“I kind of missed you,” Therese replied, her eyes dark. She took Carol’s face in her hands and faintly brushed their lips together. “It’s felt like ages,” she said with a breathy whisper. 

Carol blindly pushed the door closed and grasped Therese by the sides of her waist. As Therese kissed her passionately, pressing their bodies together, the force pushed Carol against the wall. The open-mouthed kiss that had started with feather touches became aggressive, rushed, and needy. Lips slid from mouth to chin. Carol could feel Therese’s lips and tongue on her neck, the hot pressure sliding lower and lower. Carol pulled her back up, pushing hair aside and letting their tongues slide together. Finally, one of them came up for air, but they didn’t move apart. Temples pressed together, they let their breathing even out and their heart rates return to normal. 

Carol finally pulled back to see Therese’s face, despite not wanting to stop hearing her little gasps so close to her ear. Flushed, Therese looked up at Carol. Carol traced the blush on Therese's cheeks with her thumb.

“I think you already know this, but you need to move campsites soon,” Carol told her. 

Therese sighed. “Yeah, I knew the date would be coming up soon. It was part of the agreement to let me stay the entire summer.”

“It’s because they don’t want camper’s taking advantage of prime locations for long periods of time,” Carol told her. “Regular campers can’t occupy a space for more than two weeks. I guess you’re special.” She leaned in and pecked Therese on the lips. “But I already knew that.”

“So how do I get a new campsite?” Therese asked. 

“That’s what I was going to tell you,” Carol said. “I took the liberty of reserving you one of my favorite spots. It’s on the edge of the campground, so you won’t have campers behind you as you do now. You’ll be backed up against some rocks. The sites are on a part of the road that curves, so they aren’t square. You get a little more space at the backside of your site to put your tent. It’s nice and private.” 

Carol held Therese by the hips and ever-so-slightly swung the two of them back and forth as they stood together. Therese wrapped her arms around Carol’s neck. “So it’s considered a prime location?”

“It’s not across from the lake or anything, but I think it's a great spot,” Carol said. “With the Fourth of July coming up, there will be four to five tents per site in some cases. You saw how crowded it was on Memorial Day. But then again, I value privacy. If you want a site somewhere else, I’d be happy to change the reservation.”

“No,” Therese quickly responded. “I like the sound of that campsite. Thanks for doing that for me. Do you think I should stake my tent down again?” she asked jokingly, her dimples appearing.

Carol gently pinched her waistline. “I would think you would know to take my advice by now.”

“Mmm…or two of us in my tent could probably hold it down,” Therese mused.

“Is that so?” Carol asked quietly, cocking her head and raising her eyebrows. “I haven’t actually been invited to see the inside of your abode yet.”

“Well, I haven’t made my bed, and the dining area is being renovated, but you’re welcome to come by anytime,” Therese told her as she slid her hands under the hem of Carol’s shirt to rest just above her waistline.

Carol stopped their playful sway and put some distance between their bodies as her demeanor turned serious. She gently brushed Therese’s hair back from her face. “I’d really like to, but I’m not sure I’m ready just yet.” 

Therese’s hands slipped from under Carol’s shirt to rest on her arms. Carol saw a hundred different emotions pass through Therese’s eyes and quickly took the conversation in another direction before any questions began. 

“Speaking of beds,” Carol said, “I have to leave town for a week and wondered if you would like to use my place while I’m away. Would you?”

“What? A week? Where are you going?” Therese asked, obviously not expecting this new information.

“I have to go to Utah for a wildland firefighting training refresher course put on by USFS in conjunction with the NPS. I did the training when I first started, but you have to brush up on everything every five years. The refresher course covers more than just entry-level firefighter training. They focus mainly on advanced incident management.” Carol watched and waited as Therese absorbed everything.

“I know NPS is the National Parks Service, but what’s the other one?” Therese asked.

“United States Forest Service,” Carol told her.

“Oh, that makes sense,” Therese replied. “A full week?”

“Yes,” Carol confirmed. “Plus we have to drive, so that takes a day on either end.” She saw the disappointment register on Therese’s face. Carol was disappointed, too. Of all the summers to have to go to this training, she certainly wished that it wasn’t this year. One less week she had to spend with Therese seemed like a cruel joke when their time together was so limited. Carol pulled Therese into a hug, the younger woman’s head nestling into her neck. She breathed in the sweet scent of Therese’s hair products.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Therese said, her voice muffled against Carol’s chest. Therese’s hands gripped Carol’s back.

“Me too,” Carol admitted. “So do you want to crash at my place while I’m away?” 

Therese straightened up and took a deep breath. “No, I don’t think so,” she said. “I’m fine staying in my tent, but thank you.”

“Are you sure?” Carol asked her. “There’s a real bed and a free shower. Surely you must be running out of quarters by now. Fifty cents for three minutes of hot water is ridiculous.”

“Do you have a bathtub?” Therese asked.

“Yes,” Carol answered. “It’s not large or anything, being park housing, but you’re welcome to use it.”

“I wouldn’t mind taking a bath,” Therese said. “But I really am fine staying at my site.”

“Okay,” Carol said, wondering why Therese hadn’t accepted her offer. She wasn’t going to push Therese to stay when she obviously didn’t want to, but Carol did want to know more.

“Are you worried about what others might think?” Carol asked. 

Therese avoided eye contact. “Maybe a little.”

“Has Abby scared you?” Carol inquired, tipping Therese’s face up to meet her eyes.

“I just get the feeling she really doesn’t like me,” Therese replied.

Carol looked at her and pulled her close again. ”I don’t think it’s personal, baby,” she softly told Therese, the endearment leaving her lips before she realized what had happened. 

Therese took it in stride, however, pulling Carol impossibly closer and bringing their lips together again. 


	18. The Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what happened in regards to the explosion of comments on Chapter 17. I adore you all, but apparently some of you stocked up on alcohol in addition to toilet paper for this shelter-in-place. Thank you for the rash of comments. I was completely entertained. <3

Therese unfolded her checkered tablecloth and gave it a shake to spread it across the picnic table at her new campsite. Tires crunched on gravel at the site next to hers. Car doors slammed as she leaned down to choose four fist-sized rocks from the rubble behind her tent. Carrying them to the table, she used them to weigh down the corners of her tablecloth. Therese was no longer a rookie, and she was not going to let the wind get the best of her this time.

Strong arms encircled her from behind and lifted her into the air. She squealed as she tried to see who had her in a bear hug.

“Can’t a couple of friends get a hug from you, or are you too busy playing with rocks?” a male voice asked, putting her back on solid ground. 

Therese spun around and Dannie and Phil stood before her, grinning widely. 

“You’re back! What are you doing here?” she asked, hugging them both properly. She noticed their vehicle parked in the campsite next to hers.

“We came back to see you for the Fourth of July,” Phil said. “We made the decision to close up shop. It’s not like anyone gets their hair cut this weekend anyway.”

Dannie chimed in. “Labor Day seemed too far away. You probably would have forgotten us by then,” he joked.

“I could never forget my McElroy brothers,” Therese told them. “Is that your campsite?” she asked incredulously, pointing toward their SUV.

Phil grinned. “We had a little help in securing that site.”

“We weren’t sure we could actually get a site with such late notice, but Carol put us first on the list for any cancellations and moved some things around so we could be next to you,” Dannie told her as he sat down. “Otherwise, we would have had to pitch our tents here as your beloved guests.”

“She didn’t say a word to me,” Therese exclaimed. 

“She’s good at keeping secrets,” Phil said.

“How are things with Carol?” Dannie asked her, picking up one of the rocks on the table and turning it over in his hands.

“I mean, good, I guess,” Therese said, blushing furiously and nearly tripping over the fire pit as she took a step backward. “She’s been away for training for over a week.” She regained her balance and tried to appear calm.

“Head over heels, huh ?” Phil asked, laughing.

“We just drove halfway across the state to see you, and all you’re going to give us is ‘good’?” Dannie asked, pretending to be hurt.

Therese sat down next to Dannie. Phil sat across from them. 

“Do you want a beer?” Therese asked, reaching into the cooler beside her. 

“Always,” Dannie said.

“Hit me,” Phil told her.

She handed them each a cold can of lager before continuing. Two beers cracked and fizzed. “It’s complicated.” 

“Let’s play a little game. I ask you questions, and you answer them with some sort of information because you’re really bad at this.” Phil slid his beer can to the side, folded his hands, and leaned on the table. “Now, have you seen much of Carol since we left?”

Therese nodded. Dannie grinned, an entertained spectator.

“So it’s safe to say you two are friendly?” 

“Yes.” Therese rolled her eyes.

“Have you kissed?” Phil asked, leaning forward even more.

Therese squirmed. “Yes.”

“Good girl.” Phil raised his hand and gave her a high five. Therese reluctantly returned it. 

“Where?” Phil asked, his eyebrows raising.

“On the mouth.” Therese saw Phil cover his face with his palm. Dannie chuckled softly next to her. “Oh, down by the lake,” she said, embarrassed. 

“Who kissed whom?” Phil prodded.

“She kissed me,” Therese told them.

The brothers exchanged glances. 

“How many times have you kissed?” Phil asked.

“I don’t know! Who keeps count?” she asked, exasperated.

“So more than once!” Dannie exclaimed.

“I don’t think I like this game,” Therese mumbled before reaching over and taking a drink of Dannie’s beer.

“Have you had sex?” Phil was not dissuaded. 

Therese choked on the gulp of beer she had been drinking. Coughing, beer came out both her nose and mouth. Phil jerked his upper body away from the table to avoid being hit. Therese turned and used the sleeve of her t-shirt to wipe her face.

“No!” she finally exclaimed. “Game over!”

“I’m surprised she hasn’t slept with you already,” Dannie said. “That was totally sexy, by the way. I really want to drink this beer now,” he held the can between his index finger and thumb and pretended to examine it.

Therese burst into laughter. “I missed you two.”

* * *

Therese gave the guys some time to unpack and settle in. They soon called her back over to their campsite where Phil had spread a large topographic map atop the picnic table. 

“This is incredible,” Therese said, peering over his shoulder. “Look how much information is on there.”

“I’ll leave the map with you when we go home.” Phil sat down on the bench. “You can give it back to me on Labor Day weekend, or when you come to visit us.” 

“Deal,” Therese told him. “I don’t know why I didn’t think to get a map for myself. This will be so helpful.”

Dannie used a bottle opener on his keychain to pop the caps off three bottles of beer. He set two bottles on their side of the map and threaded his long legs into the picnic table to sit on the bench across from them.

“Here it is.” Phil pointed at the map. “Trail Lake. I think that should be a decent hike. It’s probably four to five hours round trip, not counting the time we spend fishing.”

“What are you fishing for?” Therese asked.

“Trout,” Dannie said. 

“The lake has rainbow and cutthroat trout,” Phil added. “Do you like to eat fish?”

Therese nodded.

“If we’re lucky, we will bring some back to cook. We were thinking of doing the hike on one of the days you’re working.”

“I planned to get some stuff done on Sunday actually,” Therese said. “It’s the day after the Fourth and the park should quiet down since most people will be heading home that day.”

The brothers looked at each other and shrugged. “Why not?” Dannie said.

“You won’t feel like we’re abandoning you?” Phil asked.

“I really should do some work anyway,” Therese told them. “We will still have plenty of time to spend together.”  As the brothers poured over the map, Therese pulled out her cell phone to see if she had missed any text messages from Carol. While looking at her recent contacts, she realized she still had not heard from Richard. He had not answered her calls nor sent a text other than the simple exchange after she first arrived. She suddenly wished he would answer just once so she could end it with him then and there.

“So, what are we doing for the Fourth of July?” Dannie asked.

“There’s a fireworks show at the lake. We could watch and get drunk like any sensible people,” Therese suggested. “And not necessarily in that order.”

“I like your thinking,” Phil told her. “We should actually spend the entire day down at the lake,” Phil told his brother. “It will be packed with girls in bikinis.” He nudged Therese. “You too, Subaru.”

* * *

Independence Day was honored with picture-perfect weather. Clear blue skies and sunshine only helped ignite the celebratory mood amongst the people at the park. Children raced around waving small, hand-held flags, and red, white, and blue colors abounded. The day was marked by the occasional, solitary scream and blast of a rogue firework despite the sun being high in the sky.

Armed with a blanket that she kept in her car, Therese walked next to Dannie as they made their way past the ranger station to Park Lake. Phil was going to use the facilities before he drove the cooler of beer and the grill over and said he would meet them there. As they neared the grassy area between Carol’s house and the lakefront, Dannie and Therese could already see hundreds of people sunbathing, grilling, enjoying picnics, and swimming. Shade was hard to come by, so they settled for a nice spot in the sun with a good view of the resort across the lake where the fireworks show would take place once darkness fell. 

Therese spread out her blanket, stripped down to her bathing suit, and began applying sunscreen. Dannie grabbed his t-shirt near the nape of his neck and pulled it off in one swift motion. He tossed it at her before running down to the swimming area and jumping in from the dock. Therese watched Dannie swim out and tread water for a while before swimming back. Expecting to see him climb the ladder on the side of the dock to get out of the lake, she grinned when she noticed he was still treading water and talking to a young woman dangling her legs off the dock. Her bikini had white stars on a blue background on one breast and red and white stripes on the other.

Therese felt her cell phone vibrate from within her backpack next to her hip. Hastily rubbing the sunscreen on her hands off on her legs, she scrambled to pull it out. Her heart sank when she saw the text was from Phil, not Carol. After giving him directions to their location, she dropped her phone back into the bag and went back to reapplying sunscreen.

“Can I use some of that when I dry off?” Dannie asked her, walking up and motioning to her bottle of sunscreen. He picked up his towel and aggressively dried his hair.

“Sure. Phil just texted me. He’s in the parking lot. He wanted to know where we were.”

“I need to go help him,” Dannie said, dropping the towel. “All that beer is heavy.” He took off barefoot in the direction of the parking lot.

Therese’s cell phone vibrated again.  _ Relax, Phil, _ she thought. She pulled out her phone expecting to text Phil that Dannie was on his way to help him but saw the text wasn’t from Phil but was from Carol instead.

**I was hoping to watch fireworks with you**

Before Therese could reply, a second text arrived.

**If you’re busy, I understand**

Therese grinned at her phone. She quickly texted back.

**I want to watch with you. We are down at the lake.**

She waited for Carol’s response.

**My shift ends at 9. I’ll need to change.**

Therese turned around and looked behind her. She could see Carol’s house while seated on her blanket. She texted back.

**I’ll come get you at 9:15**

Something heavy hit the ground beside her as Dannie set down the cooler of beers.

“Here,” Phil said, coming up on her opposite side. He haphazardly held six fully-dressed hot dogs in his hands. 

“What on earth?” Therese took two hot dogs to help him free up his hands. 

“I was talking to a woman from Olympia down at the lake when I went for a swim,” Dannie said. “She said she was here with some friends, all of whom are women, I might add. When Phil and I were coming back with the beer, we ran into their group, and they gave us these hot dogs. They have a ton of food.” He took a big bite, a third of the sandwich disappearing into his mouth. 

“Nice. I saw you talking to her. She’s pretty,” Therese said, taking a bite. 

“Oh, and by the way, you’re our cousin from Seattle,” Dannie told her with a wink as he wiped mustard off his lower lip with the back of his hand.

* * *

Dannie, Therese, and Phil had planned to pull out the propane grill from the back of Dannie and Phil’s SUV to make burgers for dinner, but once again, the Olympia women came through. 

Melanie, the owner of the patriotic bikini, visited the sunbathing brothers with her raven-haired friend Britney in tow. After quick introductions, the invitation to come and share their barbecue was quickly accepted by both, and they leaped up in tandem to follow her. Therese joined after being coaxed into it, following slightly behind the foursome as they made their way to the actively-smoking grill surrounded by young women under the shade of one of the trees. They had so much food laid out on the wooden picnic table that they had set up a second folding table with six chairs around it. Feeling completely alienated, “cousin” Therese gratefully filled a paper plate from the overloaded picnic table and found a place to sit at the end of the folding table. 

Realizing that all the sun and swimming had exacerbated her appetite, Therese dived into potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, potato chips, and a veggie burger she had chosen from the array of choices on the grill. It was the most delicious meal she had eaten in a long time. She enjoyed watching Dannie flirt with Melanie, and Phil awkwardly attempt to chat with Britney as her burger dripped onto her plate with every bite. 

A three-layer cake sat in the middle of the table, small paper flags and unlit sparklers decorating the top. Rings of red, white, and blue icing bursts were piped up the sides. As Therese finished the last of her burger, the reality of the day sank in. She didn’t really consider herself patriotic. Unlike Melanie, she wasn’t the flag-wearing type, but she was glad for her freedom and thankful for those who had fought for it. 

Therese tried to swallow the last bite of burger, but it stuck in her throat, a hard lump suddenly reluctant to budge. She reached for her beer. The realization in her mind was just as unnerving as the food she tried to wash down. Was she really free?


	19. The Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, you wild readers with all the comments! I'm afraid this quarantine life is getting to you. Thank you for keeping us all entertained between chapters. :)

Therese left the brothers and their two new friends to watch her blanket and backpack. She pulled her shorts and tank top on before walking over to Carol’s. It was nearly dark, and fireworks would be starting any minute. People filled the large grassy area, relaxing on camp chairs, picnic benches, blankets, and towels, their eyes to the sky in eager anticipation. Therese weaved through them to her destination.

Carol opened the door immediately as if she had been waiting for Therese to knock. She smiled.

“Hi,” she said, placing her hands on Therese’s cheeks and kissing her. “I’ve been looking forward to spending time with you all day.” She pulled the shorter woman closer.

“I’ve missed you,” Therese admitted. “Phil and Dannie met some girls and I’ve been the third - actually fifth - wheel all day.” She ran her hands up Carol’s back and back down, feeling the way Carol’s ribcage tapered to her thin waist. 

They stood in the open doorway in the dusk, Carol’s mouth moving in a triangle from Therese’s lips to her jawline, then her neck, and back again. Carol fingered the strap of Therese’s swimsuit dangling out of her collar from where it was tied in a bow at the nape of her neck. She hooked her index finger under the taut strap and slid her fingers along Therese’s collarbone, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from the younger woman.

“Mmm, I like the way you look in this suit,” Carol whispered in her ear

Therese’s sudden bodily response and the effect of multiple alcoholic beverages left her weak-kneed. She put one hand on the door frame to steady herself. She felt the immediate reaction Carol’s words had caused growing between her legs. She reluctantly pulled back, still holding Carol, but not as closely. She tried to breathe normally.

“Are you a little drunk?” Carol asked with a sly smile.

“A little,” Therese admitted. “Are you tired?”

“A little,” Carol answered.

“We should go,” Therese said. “The fireworks will be starting soon.”

Carol looked amused. “I’ll follow you.” She picked up a blanket that sat folded on the end of her couch and closed the door behind her.

“Do you need to bring your radio in case there is a fire?” Therese inquired, knowing some people would be setting off illegal fireworks even if they were within a state park.

“No,” Carol said simply. “I’m all yours.”

Therese grinned.

With Carol’s hand in hers, Therese led the way back to the group and introduced Carol to Melanie and Britney. Carol spread out her blanket next to theirs and patted the spot next to her. Therese sat down and leaned back, propping herself up with her arms like Carol had, their shoulders touching.

“Carol, do you want a beer?” Dannie asked, turning around and opening the cooler. “Therese, are you ready for another one?” Both women accepted and Melanie passed cold beers to them. 

“I’m happy you had tonight off,” Therese said quietly to Carol.

Carol nestled her open beer in the grass before tucking a strand of hair behind Therese’s ear. “I traded shifts.” She smiled at Therese with a smile that lit up her eyes. 

“Everybody needs a sparkler!” An exuberant Britney handed a small metal rod to each of them and then lit Phil’s with her lighter. One by one, they passed along the flame. Carol lit Therese’s sparkler, her hand gently holding Therese’s hand while she did. It sputtered and flashed, the crackling and spitting sound creating a symphony of sizzle. Therese waved her sparkler around in wide arcs before she held it high above her head and wrote “Carol” in the night sky in cursive. Emblazoned on her retina or in her mind’s eye, she couldn’t be sure as the singular word floated above her. She glanced to her side to see if she had been too obvious, but Carol was busy spinning circles with her own sparkler, a happy smile on her face.

A piercing cry foretold of the red burst that exploded above them, showering fiery flashes of light outward in all directions. Somewhere,  _ America the Beautiful _ began playing. The fireworks show had begun. Her sparkler’s life extinguished, Therese laid back on the blanket, and Carol followed suit. Carol’s reached over, gently picked up Therese’s hand, and intertwined their fingers together.

“You traded shifts.” Therese smiled. Flashes of colored lights lit up the sky, reflecting in Carol’s eyes. Her blonde hair spilled onto the blanket.

“Yes,” Carol answered, their faces only inches apart. Carol knew there was never a gift so well received as someone’s time and attention. 

People exclaimed loudly as a particularly large white firework exploded right over them, its trailing debris like fingers reaching for the ground.

“All day long, I felt - well, I just wanted you with me,” Therese confided quietly.

Carol squeezed her hand. “Come here.” She welcomed Therese into the crook of her arm. “I’m here now.” She kissed Therese on her temple, and they turned their eyes to the brilliant explosions above them.

* * *

Therese spent a productive Sunday morning at Red Alkali Lake taking notes and photos in spite of having a small hangover. When she returned to her campsite just before noon, Phil and Dannie both looked like hell and insisted they were starving and needed food immediately. Dannie blamed Phil for forgetting to pack buns for the hot dogs that they had brought. Phil blamed Dannie for forgetting to grab a propane tank for the grill before they left. Regardless of who was to blame, the boys needed food. Therese suggested they all walk over to get some food at the small resort next to the campground. 

“I thought you were going hiking and fishing today?” Therese inquired, trailing slightly behind and trying to keep up with the starving brothers.

“We still are. After all the drinking yesterday, we decided late afternoon fishing was preferable to morning fishing,” Dannie told her.

Therese was surprised they weren’t more hungover than they were after all the beer they had consumed the previous day.

The line at the order window was a dozen people deep, but soon Therese, Dannie, and Phil were the happy recipients of fried foods and milkshakes. Finding an empty picnic table, they laid out their empty calories and spent a few quiet moments eating with relish.

“I’m glad we got here when we did,” Phil commented. “The line is twice as long now.”

Therese and Dannie barely looked up. With hot fries and cold milkshakes in front of them, they couldn’t be distracted. 

“So T, how did the Seattle situation go?” Dannie asked out of the blue.

“Seattle situation?” Therese asked between bites, her brows furrowing.

“You know, the boyfriend situation,” Dannie said, taking a loud sip of his chocolate milkshake.

“Oh,” Therese said, looking back down. “I haven’t actually dealt with that yet.”

“Really?” Phil piped up. “It seems like perhaps you might not want to have a boyfriend right now.”

Therese refused to make eye contact with either brother. “I don’t want a boyfriend, but unfortunately I have a boyfriend. Trust me, I wish the situation was different. I’m not sure exactly what I’m supposed to do. It’s not like he’s responding to my texts or calls.”

Dannie set his milkshake down and opened two ketchup packets at once. “T, you know you have to find a way to deal with that, right?” He emptied the ketchup packets over his fries.

“I’ll deal with it. I just can’t do anything about it right now.” 

“Why is he avoiding you?” Phil asked.

“I don’t know,” Therese mumbled. “Because he’s an ass? Because he has better things to do?”

The brothers looked at one another. “I’ll bet he does,” Phil said in a knowing voice. 

“Has he cheated on you before?” Dannie asked her.

“Not that I know of,” Therese answered. She pushed her food away from her. 

Dannie pulled Therese’s paper carton of fries closer to him and dumped them on top of his own. 

“You know we only want what’s best for you, T. Right?” Dannie asked.

“Yeah, I know.” 

"The longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be,” Dannie said.

Phil elbowed her. “Get rid of that asshole, T. You deserve better.”

Therese nodded. “Can we change the subject now?”

Dannie nodded, still working on inhaling fries. Phil loudly slurped the dregs of his milkshake.

“I see you met some friends,” a female voice said from next to their table.

_ Oh, shit.  _ Therese knew that voice. She looked up to see Abby in jeans and a t-shirt standing at the end of their table holding some tater tots in one hand and a milkshake in the other. She calmly took a loud sip. Therese fervently hoped Abby had been out of earshot of their conversation.

“Abby, this is Dannie and Phil. They were here for Memorial Day and came back for the Fourth. Guys, Abby is Carol’s best friend.” Therese made the introductions and Abby politely greeted each man.

“You must really like it here,” Abby said to the brothers. “Do you come every year?”

“Nope,” Phil answered. “We just came back to see Therese.”

“I see,” Abby said, still staring at Therese.

“Would you like to join us?” Therese asked Abby, making the polite offer despite not wanting to do so.

“No, thank you,” Abby said. “I wanted to get some food before my shift tonight. I need to go home and change. I just thought I would stop by and say hello.”

Therese nodded. She and Abby assessed each other silently while the brothers focused intently on their food. 

“Look at you all,” Carol said, appearing beside Abby. “Hi, everyone.” Carol smiled at the people sitting at the table. Therese thought she looked especially sharp in her uniform, her hair tightly pulled back except for a few uncooperative curls.

“Why aren’t you in uniform, woman?” Carol asked Abby.

“I’m heading home to change right now,” Abby said, watching Carol steal one of her tater tots. Therese had the feeling that Abby would have swatted Carol’s hand had both her hands not been occupied.

“Don’t piss off Jeanette again,” Carol warned, sucking cool air into her mouth around the hot tater tot.

“Right. I’ll see you around,” Abby said to the three seated. “I’ll talk to you tonight,” Abby said to Carol. She turned and walked toward the parking lot.

“Carol, thank you again for getting us a campsite,” Dannie told her.

“Yeah, thanks,” Phil added.

Carol sat sideways on the bench next to Dannie and across from Therese. She looked over at Therese as she answered. “It was my pleasure. I’m happy you both decided to come back for the weekend.” 

“You’re on duty?” Therese answered.

“Yes, but not for much longer. I just wanted to say hello. I stopped for an iced tea, but saw you sitting here.” Carol smiled at Therese before standing up. “I better get in line, or I’ll be here forever. Nice to see you again,” she told the brothers. Carol suddenly stood ramrod straight, her nose high in the air, a serious look appearing on her face. “Does anyone else smell smoke?”

They all sniffed the air, looked at each other, and shook their heads. “Maybe someone has a campfire going,” Phil said.

Carol scanned the horizon. “There are no campfires allowed this weekend. High winds are expected. That’s also not a campfire smell.”

As if on cue, Carol’s radio came to life announcing another brush fire. “Illegal fireworks probably,” she muttered, after relaying her intent to respond. She gently squeezed Therese’s shoulder. “I’ll text you later.” 


	20. The Question

Therese received a text from Carol later that afternoon, as promised. When Carol asked her to come over for dinner, she hurriedly showered and changed. Dannie and Phil had taken off a few hours prior, backpacks and fishing rods strapped to their backs. Phil said Therese may or may not see them later, depending on how late they returned. However, they hoped to have fresh fish to fry up for her the next day.

Carol, too, had showered. The ends of her wet hair clung to her neck as she busied herself in her kitchen. Therese wandered around the small living room once again. It struck her odd that Carol had no photographs on display, not a single one. Just like before, when Therese peered into the hallway, Carol’s bedroom and bathroom doors stood open, but the other door in the hallway remained closed. Based on the square shape of the house, Therese knew it had to be another bedroom. She wondered why Carol always kept it closed.

“Therese, can you help me carry these things outside?” Carol called from the kitchen.

Therese spun around and went to help. She picked up a plate carrying two fillets of marinated salmon and two Moscow mules. Carol carried a tray of skewered vegetables and a plate containing a foil packet.

“What’s that?” Therese asked, nodding her head toward the packet.

“Rice pilaf,” Carol told her. “It just needs to be warmed up. Can you get the door?”

They carried the food outside, and Carol proceeded to arrange the items on the preheated grill. The food cooked quickly and they ate their dinner outside, the sunset stirring magenta and violet the sky. Carol refused to allow Therese to wash or dry the dishes, so they just brought everything inside and stacked it next to the sink. 

“There’s a corkscrew in the drawer by your hip,” Carol said as she peeled the foil off a bottle of chilled wine. “Are you sure you don’t want a beer?” She planted a kiss at the junction of Therese’s neck and shoulder.

“Wine sounds more romantic,” Therese said, rummaging through the drawer. She handed the corkscrew to Carol. With a deft couple of twists and a pull, Carol had the cork out and was pulling wine glasses down from a cupboard. She poured them each a glass of Pinot Grigio.

“To summer nights,” Carol said, holding out her glass. 

“Summer nights.” Therese toasted with her, and they each sipped. 

“Shall we go back outside?” Carol asked.

Carol turned on the porch light, and Therese followed her outside. The high-pitched song of crickets floated in the warm air. Carol stopped to flick on a blue bug zapper near the house before she proceeded to the patio swing. Kicking off her shoes, she sat down and propped her bare feet on the outdoor coffee table next to her cell phone. Therese sat down beside her, not too close, but not far away either.

The edge of the moon clawed its way over the top of the cliff. “I think it’s supposed to be a full moon tonight,” Therese said. 

“Hmm.” Carol sipped her wine and placed a hand on Therese’s thigh. She slowly caressed Therese’s skin through the fabric of her shorts. Together they watched the entire alabaster sphere slink its way into the night sky.

“Is that a planet?” Therese asked, pointing to something bright. Carol’s hand on her thigh was beyond distracting. 

Carol leaned closer. “Where?” Therese could feel Carol’s warm breath on her cheek.

“There.” Therese pointed, breathless from having Carol so near. “Near the horizon.” 

“I don’t know,” Carol said, turning toward her. She ran her fingers from Therese’s temple to the ends of her hair. “Tell me something about you.” 

Even in the twilight, Carol’s blue eyes pulled her in. “Like what?”

“Something I don’t know,” Carol whispered, continuing to play with Therese’s hair. Her bare foot pushed against the table, rocking them gently.

The wheels of Therese’s mind ground to a halt. “I don’t know,” she laughed, self-consciously. “I can’t think of anything, especially when you’re doing that.”

“May I ask you a question?” Carol asked, withdrawing her hand from Therese’s hair. Therese missed the sensation and wished she hadn’t said anything about it.

“Um, okay,” Therese agreed, bending one knee and turning her body toward Carol, “but then I get to ask you a question.”

Carol slowly nodded. “Fair enough.” She gazed at Therese briefly, but to Therese, it felt like an eternity. “Have you ever been with a woman?”

Therese immediately broke eye contact. A metal vise tightened in her chest. Her hands took on a life all their own as she fidgeted. It wasn’t until Carol tipped her chin up gently and softly said her name that she finally answered. “No.”

With a soft caress, Carol withdrew her hand. She gave a brief smile before taking a long drink from her wine glass. “I suppose it’s your turn now, isn’t it?” she asked. The dull roar of thousands of frogs looking for their mates filled the air.

Therese knew what she wanted to ask. She gently cleared her throat. “Let me just preface this by saying I don’t really believe it, and I guess it’s not true because you asked me, but I still wondered why I would overhear someone saying it because there must be a reason behind them saying it -” 

“Therese, what exactly are you asking me?” Carol interrupted her verbal stumbling, a confused look on her face. 

“Why don’t you date anyone?” Therese spewed out. She swallowed audibly. “I heard someone say you don’t date.

Carol scowled, her foot stopping the movement of the swing. “Who said that?”

Therese hesitated, not realizing that this would be Carol’s response and now wondering how much she should say. “I heard two people in the store,” she said.

“Did you see who said it?” Carol asked, before clarifying. “I’m not mad, Therese, I’m just curious.”

Therese sighed. “The tall, dark-haired ranger guy said it to your friend Abby.”

Carol took a deep breath and picked up her wine glass again. “Harge. I guess that figures.” She took another sip of wine, finishing the glass. “Did he use the name ‘Ice Queen’, by any chance?”

Therese nodded and continued to watch her. Carol stared at a spot on the grass in front of her but seemed far away. “I answered _your_ question,” Therese said feebly.

Carol sat up, sliding her feet into her shoes. “Yes, you did. But I’m going to need more wine for this conversation. Would you like a refill?”

“Yes, please,” Therese said, handing Carol her glass. Carol was only a few feet away when her cell phone rang. She turned back and picked up her phone from the coffee table. 

“I’ll just be a minute,” she said to Therese. She answered the phone on her way back into the house. “Hey. What’s up?” 

* * *

Carol hung up her cell phone and stood rooted to the spot for a full minute. She didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or break every dish in her kitchen. Abby might have ulterior motives, but she was Carol’s best friend, and Carol trusted her. Abby would never make something like this up.

Carol filled one of the glasses half full of wine. Her hand shook. She took a few calming breaths before walking back outside.

Therese rocked back and forth on the swing, her eyes cast heavenward. She turned when she heard Carol close the back door.

Carol handed her the glass of wine and sat down.

“Where’s your glass?” Therese asked. “Aren’t you having more?”

A magma-hot mixture of disappointment and rage threatened to erupt from Carol at any moment. “I’ve had enough,” Carol managed to say, the blood racing through her veins. She stared at the cliff behind the house. She wished it would come crashing down upon her and prevent this conversation from happening.

“What’s wrong?” Therese asked, reaching out and touching Carol’s forearm.

Carol brushed it off. “Don’t touch me,” she admonished.

“Carol, what’s going on? Talk to me,” Therese leaned forward and set her glass of wine on the coffee table. Carol could see Therese attempt to make eye contact with her in her peripheral vision, and she ignored her. 

“How dare you?” Carol choked out. “I trusted you,” she whispered. Angrily she wiped away the tear that rolled down her face. “A boyfriend.” She laughed, a singular, hollow laugh. 

“Oh, God,” Therese said, horror evident on her face when Carol finally met her eyes.

“I should have known better,” Carol said, mostly to herself.

“Let me explain,” Therese began.

“What is there to explain? Do you or do you not have a boyfriend?”

Therese began to cry. “Yes, but please let me explain.”

Anger rose inside Carol. “Why did you kiss me?” she yelled, standing up. 

“You kissed me!” Therese yelled back.

“You didn’t stop me!” Carol started pacing back and forth.

“He doesn’t even care that I arrived safely or what I’m doing here,” Therese told her. “He’s only texted me twice since I arrived.”

“That sounds like a personal problem.” Carol could see her words stung, but Therese went on. 

“I’ve needed to break up with him for a long time… and… I just haven’t. It’s complicated.”

Carol stopped and stared at her. “It’s really not, Therese.”

Anger flared in Therese’s eyes. “What happened to, ‘It’s difficult to force ourselves to do certain things, especially if the task involved is an unpleasant one’?” 

“Exactly,” Carol fired back, coming closer to her. “It’s difficult, but you  _ do _ it. You  _ force _ yourself to do it.” Carol enunciated every word.

“It’s over between him and me. You have to trust me. Please,” Therese sobbed.

“I thought I did,” Carol told her. “Now I don’t know what to think. I just don’t understand how you could hurt someone you once loved by starting another relationship without ending the first one. Did you ever stop to think about other people’s feelings?” Carol asked, lines of tears staining both her cheeks.

“I did what I did because there is something here, something between us, and you know it,” Therese pleaded. “Tell me there is nothing here. Tell me you don’t want me.”

Carol was silent. Therese’s sobs mingled with the frogs and the crickets. “Yes, I did, but not like this,” Carol said quietly, tears again breaching her lower eyelids. With that, she turned and walked inside the house.

Therese sank back into the swing, wiping away tears that wouldn’t stop flowing. She fought to calm her breathing and quell the gasping sobs that echoed off the cliff face back into the yard, an unkind phenomenon that managed to double her unimaginable pain.

After a time, her fragmented breaths slowed. She expected Carol to come back out when she too calmed down, but Carol remained inside. Just when Therese had convinced herself to wait five more minutes, the lights in the house were extinguished. Therese’s heart sank, a fist-sized rock falling to the pit of her stomach. Then suddenly, Carol turned off the porch light, a message Therese received loud and clear. Her face crumpling into sobs once again, she got up and made her way through the yard which was now only illuminated by the full moon and the hazy blue bug zapper. Before she got to the driveway, she passed the bug light and heard the audible crackle of little lives ending.


	21. The Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured I needed to post this chapter before the comments section on Chapter 20 brings down the entire site. Just when I thought you all couldn't be more hilarious, lovely, or inspiring, you surprise me again. I adore this virtual book club you have created. <3

From the dark kitchen window, Carol's heart strained as she watched Therese walk across the yard sobbing. Another tear slid down her cheek when the younger woman disappeared from view. She gripped the edge of the kitchen sink with both hands and waited a few minutes more before turning on the kitchen light and resolutely washing their dirty dishes. 

Carol’s emotions had passed from furious and defeated to sad and disappointed, not just with Therese, but with the situation itself. Everything had been going so well. She wasn’t sure if she was glad that Abby had overheard Therese’s conversation with Dannie and Phil or not. If ignorance was bliss, she would probably be leading Therese inside the house right now, lifting Therese onto her bed, and forever changing her answer of whether she had ever been with a woman. Carol’s arousal soared wildly, and she attempted to push aside those thoughts as she scrubbed their dinner plates with a vengeance.

Therese’s pleas had nearly destroyed Carol. Of course, there was something between them. Carol knew that the day Therese pulled up to the ranger station and fumbled her way through registration. Of course, Carol wanted her. Carol wanted her so badly that it hurt, more than she had ever wanted anyone. The thoughts of finally having Therese consumed her day and night. Wishful and hopeful thinking had been so close to being a reality. In anger, she threw the rinsed silverware into the drying rack, and a fork bounced out and ricocheted off the floor. Carol bent down to pick it up and proceeded to wash it again.

Why hadn’t Therese told her? Had Therese been truthful when she said that she should have broken up with him and hadn’t yet for some unknown reason? Did her relationship with her boyfriend really mean nothing to her? Just thinking of the word “boyfriend” in association with Therese made her nauseated. She had not seen this coming.

She trusted Therese, and it turned out to be a mistake. Perhaps part of the reason Carol was so appalled was that she could see Therese’s young age coming into play in her decisions, something Carol had tried to ignore, but she also felt strongly about this particular scenario. She was not going to be involved with someone in a relationship. That was that. 

However, her battered soul already yearned for Therese, and the last thing Carol wanted to do was risk losing her by reacting too harshly. She needed Therese to know how deeply she cared about her. She wanted to tell Therese how much she was attracted to her. 

Tears dropped onto her dishtowel as she dried her wine glass. The closeness, the touches, the intimate conversation, and the beautiful evening with the full moon had brought Carol to know one simple thing: she was ready. She wanted Therese, and she wanted her tonight. On a primal, organic level, Carol knew that Therese felt the same. The timing should have been perfect, but one phone call had ruined everything. 

Carol’s body had not received the message that the date was abruptly cut short. There had been no, ‘Loud and clear, over,’ just radio silence. Even after the dishes were washed, her longing continued, a heady mixture of  noradrenaline and dopamine swirling in her brain . Her desire was raw and inescapable, intentionally unheeded for too long, and not about to dissipate this time around. Carol hurled the pristinely polished wine glass at the kitchen wall. It shattered into smithereens, scattering shards of crystal onto the linoleum floor below.

* * *

Wrapped up her whirling thoughts, it took Therese a moment to recognize a flashlight’s beam blinking repeatedly through her tent wall. Tentatively she sat up and unzipped the tent’s door just enough to peer through. To her surprise, Carol crouched in front of Therese’s tent on one knee, her Maglite in her hand. 

Even in the limited light of the full moon, Therese could see that Carol’s eyes were red-rimmed. She was wearing a spaghetti strap tank top and running shorts. Carol held up one finger to her lips.

Confused by the arrival of her late-night visitor, Therese quietly unzipped the inverted U-shaped door and moved aside to allow Carol to crawl through. Carol kicked off her sandals outside as she entered, and Therese re-zipped the closure over the hum of crickets. 

Carol crawled to the far side of the air mattress, pushed Therese’s pillow aside, and stretched out on her back, her blonde hair spilling out around her. Since Carol had yet to utter a word, Therese also remained silent. Under Carol’s unwavering gaze, Therese tentatively laid down on the opposite side of the air mattress, her weight causing Carol to buoy up and down until they found equilibrium. Therese nervously clasped her hands over her stomach.

Carol gave a slim smile, a slight lift of the corner of her mouth, and then exhaled with a huff. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn’t. Without breaking eye contact, she slid the straps of her tank top over her shoulders and down her arms. Straps freed, she pushed the thin top over her breasts until it bunched around her rib cage. 

Shocked, Therese broke their gaze and noticed that Carol’s breasts were fuller, softer than her own. Even in the pervasive heat, Carol’s nipples tightened before her eyes. Therese clenched her hands over her stomach as if to hold down the momentous flip she felt inside. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she wasn’t about to stop it.

Carol waited until Therese’s eyes found her own again before she slid her right hand past her waistband into her shorts. Her eyelids fluttered shut and her shoulders dug down into the air mattress. Therese watched as Carol’s arm began to slowly move rhythmically. Carol turned back to Therese, eyes wide, and looked at her like no one had ever looked at her before. 

Therese swallowed and let her arms fall to her sides. Her left hand was only an inch or two from Carol’s hip, and she could feel the heat emanating from Carol’s body. Terribly self-conscious and unsure if she was just supposed to just watch or do something more, Therese was suddenly struck with courage she didn’t realize she possessed. She lifted her t-shirt up over her breasts. With one hand she cupped her left breast while her dominant hand fought its way past the elastic waistband of her cut-off sweats. She noticed a slight upward twitch of Carol’s eyebrows as she did, as well as the increased speed of the hand down Carol’s shorts.

Audible over the din of dozens of crickets, Carol’s labored breathing ricocheted in Therese’s ears. Each inhalation further defined Carol’s ribs and taut stomach through her bunched top. Therese’s own breaths sounded like drumrolls to her ears, and she fought to remain quiet as the sight before her brought her closer and closer to the edge. She fought to keep her eyes on Carol as her body responded frenetically. 

The startling crunch of shoes on gravel from a nearby camper walking past made them both unexpectedly freeze, eyes wide. They held their collective breaths and listened carefully as the footsteps faded away. As soon the walker could no longer be heard, Carol exhaled and resumed, more urgently this time, as if waiting had only increased her desperation. Seeing Carol like this rocketed Therese onward, her own fingers picking up speed to match Carol’s.

Suddenly Carol’s eyes fluttered and her mouth formed a soft O as she silently arched off the mattress and momentarily froze, causing Therese’s lower back to hit the ground below. Then Carol sank down again, lifting Therese up as she peaked, Therese’s eyes scrunched tightly shut, her legs shaking uncontrollably. Carol watched her with a serene look upon her face until Therese had finished and caught her breath. There was another emotion in that look, too, something Therese couldn’t quite decipher. Finally, Carol sighed. 

Therese wiped her fingers on the inside of her sweat shorts and nervously pushed down her t-shirt. Carol reached over and took her hand, two of her fingers still damp, and Therese knew it was the most intimate thing she had ever experienced. Carol suddenly blinked rapidly. Therese closed her eyes, desperately determined to imprint forever what she had just witnessed before Carol’s tears changed everything.

Sometime later, maybe minutes, maybe hours, Therese awoke. Carol had slipped out, zipping and unzipping the tent without awakening her. The scent of their individual deeds still hung in the tent’s air, reassuring Therese that it hadn’t been a dream.

Therese stared out of the mesh top of her tent at the clear sky above. As they usually did, the stars enigmatically pulled her to them. She wanted to escape, to lose herself within them, but she couldn’t ignore the emptiness inside her. If she felt like this tonight, she worried what morning would feel like with everything compounded under the harsh light of day.

Carol obviously wanted her. Her actions tonight had proved as much. However, she had also made it clear that she had boundaries she wouldn’t cross. Aside from the pain Therese knew she had inflicted, Carol had also been angry. Therese realized she wasn’t willing to let Carol slip away. She knew something had to be done. She got dressed in the dark as the wind began to wail.

  
  



	22. The Missing Person

It was almost noon when her shift began, and the thought of working all day nearly drove Carol crazy. So much weighed on her mind after the night before, and to make matters worse, she was on duty with Harge.

“Do you want lake patrol or vehicle patrol?” Harge asked while he snapped a fresh battery into his radio in the back room of the Ranger’s Station

“Vehicle,” she said immediately. She highly doubted Therese was out waterskiing and hoped to run into her to ask if they could talk. She fully anticipated the meeting might be a bit uncomfortable after their escapade the night before, and Carol wanted to get it out of the way as soon as she could. She seriously hoped Therese wasn’t angry after what had happened, especially since Carol had slipped out after Therese fell asleep. She hadn’t wanted to risk accidentally waking up with Therese in her arms. Her heart wasn’t quite ready for that after what had transpired in her backyard.

“Why don’t I come with you?” Harge offered. “We can do the vehicle patrol and then see how many intoxicated boaters we can find.”

Carol nearly cursed. “I’ll take the boat patrol if you don’t want to do it,” she told him, trying hard not to snap. She clicked her drained battery into the charging deck and made sure the orange light came on. She would have to give up finding Therese as soon as she hoped, but she definitely wasn’t going to spend the morning with Harge.

“I just thought we could do it together,” he suggested, sidling up next to her. “Make the day a little more fun.” He nudged her with his elbow.

Carol took a step away from him. Harge falling overboard was the only way spending the day with him could be more fun, especially if Carol caused it with a hefty push from her size 8 boot.

“We’re more visible and available in an emergency if we split up,” Carol argued, keeping her distance. “Dispatch will have a fit if they realize two rangers are on the boat. Certainly, you don’t want that news traveling up the chain.” She turned to face him. As the head ranger, Harge was keenly aware of this protocol, and Carol didn’t intend to let him sidestep it just to force her to spend time with him.

“You need to learn to relax,” he told her, hands resting on his duty belt, his chest puffed out. “Let your hair down once in a while.” He winked at her.

“I just washed it,” Carol told him, enjoying the puzzled look on his face as she keyed her mic and called in for vehicle patrol.

* * *

Carol completed vehicle patrol and then did a second circuit just for the hell of it. Not only was Therese not at her campsite or her usual working spots in the park, but her Subaru wasn’t parked at her site either. Only her bike remained, chained to her picnic table. Carol considered the possibility that perhaps Therese needed supplies not offered at the general store and drove into town. Still, it wasn’t like Therese not to get up and attack her work first thing in the morning and leave her chores for later. 

Carol hoped to run into Phil or Dannie to ask them if they had seen Therese, but she remembered Therese telling her they had gone hiking and fishing the evening before. She noticed fishing rods laying across the rack on the top of the guys’ SUV, so they must have returned at some point. Carol guessed they were probably sleeping off the previous night, and the lower-than-normal outside temperature probably helped. She secured them a site with some shade for this visit, so the temperature inside their tents was still probably tolerable enough to complete a REM cycle. Not wanting to bother them, Carol planned to check back in an hour or so. She drove back to the ranger station to do some paperwork, pondering the events of the night before for the hundredth time. 

Abby was inside the small building and had the door open for fresh air and sunlight. Her head was bent low over a piece of paper, and she greeted Carol without looking up.

“Don’t forget to fill out the self-reflection for your annual performance review. They’re due today, and I’m guessing you haven’t completed yours yet,” she admonished in a tone Carol would only accept from her best friend.

Carol groaned. “That’s all I need. Do you remember the good old days when your supervisor would just tell you if you were doing a shitty job, and we didn’t have to bother with all this self-reflection crap?”

Abby looked up. “You’re in a mood. I take it things did not go well last night.” She pushed her own self-reflection paper aside and habitually clicked the end of her pen.

Carol stared at the pen in her hand until Abby stopped clicking it and laid it down on the desk.

“That would be an understatement,” Carol said softly, feeling her eyes sting. “I’m such a hypocrite,” she whispered, shaking her head.

“What?” Abby asked, confused.

“What right do I have to be angry at Therese?” Carol asked, leaning back in her desk chair.

“She has a boyfriend. I think you have every right,” Abby said indignantly. “What did she think she was doing?”

“Yes, I am angry about that, but I was also so angry that she withheld really important information about herself from me, right at a point when I felt we had become so close,” Carol said sadly.

“Oh.” Abby could see where this was going.

“Now I realize that no matter how much that bothers me, I have to let go of all that anger,” Carol admitted, “because I haven’t told her everything about me.” 

“She doesn’t know anything about what happened?” Abby asked, picking at a fingernail.

Carol shook her head.

“Why haven’t you told her?” Abby asked. “You must have had a reason.”

Carol shrugged. “I’m not sure,” she answered, deep in thought. “Maybe I don’t like visiting those memories. Maybe I’m worried she won’t be interested in me after I tell her. I am sort of a mess.” Carol chuckled in her self-deprecating way.

“Maybe leave that tidbit off your review. So you plan to tell her?” Abby inquired, moving on to pulling loose threads from the hem of her pants.

Carol nodded slowly. “I think I have to if I can find her.” She watched Abby with her apparent interest in her pant leg and disinterest in their conversation. Carol waited for her friend to comfort her or offer up some advice, but none came. Irritated, Carol turned back to her desk.

“Where’s that stupid form?” she asked.

“I pinned it to your bulletin board,” Abby told her, pointing to the wall behind Carol.

Carol turned and pulled the piece of paper down without removing the pin, ripping the top.

* * *

As she drove back through the campground, she wondered what kind of mental state Therese would be in today. It broke Carol’s heart when Therese cried the night before. Even in the midst of their fight, she wanted to take Therese in her arms and comfort her. That said, Therese had not returned her text this morning, so Carol had no idea what to expect.

Carol shook off the remembrances of their shouting match and focused on the task at hand. She turned down the lane to Therese’s campsite and could see the Subaru was still not there. Carol pulled into the driveway of Therese’s site and killed her engine. 

Dannie and Phil were finally awake and were fixing sandwiches for themselves. Carol walked over to their site.

“Hello,” she said, as both men looked up.

“Hi, Carol,” Dannie said, unwrapping a slice of cheese.

“Would you like a sandwich?” Phil asked.

“No, thank you,” Carol said. She stood next to their table. “I was just wondering if you have seen Therese?”

“No,” Dannie said, ‘’although we haven’t been up very long. Maybe she’s at the general store. Her car is gone.”

“I don’t think so,” Carol stated. “I came by this morning, and her car wasn’t here then either. When was the last time you talked to her?”

Phil looked at Dannie. “I guess before we went fishing?” Dannie nodded.

“So you didn’t see her at all last night?” Carol asked.

“No, she had gone to bed by the time we got back,” Phil told her. “We had amazing luck fishing. It must have been the full moon. We got back really late.”

“Now that you mention it though,” Dannie said, “I was almost asleep and heard an engine start up. I remember thinking it was odd that someone was leaving the campground at such a strange hour.”

“Do you know what time that was?” Carol asked. 

“Are we really worried about Therese?” Phil interjected. “Did something happen?”

“I don’t know if we need to be worried yet or not,” Carol told them. “I have a favor though, and I apologize if I’m putting you in a bad position.” She took a breath, knowing full well she needed to make sure she didn’t cross any lines. “I think if you were concerned for her as friends, you could probably take a peek inside her tent and just make sure everything looks fine - make sure her belongings are still here,” Carol added. “Obviously, because of my position, I can’t be the one to do it. Not yet, at least,” Carol added, dark scenarios once again creeping into her mind.

Dannie stood up. “I’ll go take a look.”

Phil went back to making sandwiches. “You sure you don’t want one?” he asked.

Carol sighed. “I totally want one. Could you wrap it in a paper towel or something so I can take it with me?”

Phil grinned and laid out two more slices of bread. “I can put it into a sandwich bag for you.” He pulled a box of them from the Rubbermaid tub that sat on the picnic bench beside him.

Carol watched Dannie crawl back out of Therese’s tent. He held something in his hand. As he approached, Carol could see that it was Therese’s cell phone.

“This was right inside the door on the floor of the tent,” he said. 

He handed it to Carol, but Carol held up both palms, rejecting it. She reached over and pulled out a plastic bag from Phil’s box. She held open the bag for Dannie to drop the phone into. “You never know,” she mumbled, zipping it closed.

“Where would she go without her phone?” Dannie asked rhetorically.

“I’m going to leave my number,” Carol told them. “Please text me if you see her.” With her sandwich and Therese’s phone in hand, she walked back to her truck.

* * *

By mid-afternoon, it was clear to Carol that Therese was neither in the park nor out buying groceries. Her worry was growing like a storm cloud. Scenario after scenario occurred to her, some more plausible than others, but none that eased her mind. She checked back in with Dannie and Phil, but they had not seen her. They offered to hike through the park looking for her, but Carol persuaded them to stick around in case Therese returned. Chances were low Therese was off working when her vehicle was also missing. 

Missing. Carol regretted using the word. For all she knew, Therese went home to pick up more clothing. Maybe she made plans to meet up with a friend. Perhaps she was finally dealing with the boyfriend whose name Carol didn’t even know. Was that even likely? If Therese had not dealt with the situation yet, would she really decide to take care of it in the middle of the night? A small part of Carol hoped it was true, but why would Therese drive nearly eight hours round trip without her cell phone? Carol tried to unlock Therese’s phone through the plastic bag, but without Therese’s password, she was unsuccessful.

Had Therese been so upset that she spontaneously took off on a cross-state road trip in the early morning hours? What if something happened to her and Carol was the cause? The thought made her shudder. Could Carol live with any more guilt?

The idea of her actions causing harm to Therese sickened her, making the delicious sandwich Phil had her made her threaten to reappear. If Therese wasn’t found by midnight, Carol could legally list her as a missing person. She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. Imagining having to call Harge and put out an APB was unthinkable, yet she had to face the possibility. The thought of every officer, sheriff, state trooper, and park ranger being on the lookout for Therese’s Subaru and its GEOGRRL license plate was a nightmare in which Carol did not want to find herself. 

* * *

Therese’s Subaru swerved to the side as the heavy winds broadsided her. She fought to steer the vehicle within her lane despite the fact that there were no other cars driving on the park’s roads at this ungodly hour. She figured the gale rushing through the canyon would subside once she reached the top, but it wasn’t until she reached Ephrata that the winds tapered off. With her headlight beams on high, she counted more deer on the road than cars.

Therese chastised herself. She couldn’t recall a time she had ever been so angry at her own inaction. She prided herself on prioritizing things that were important to her. After all, completing a double major while working full time was no easy task, but she made it happen. She knew where she wanted to go to grad school and what she intended to do while there, and she made it happen. So why was she so lackadaisical in her personal life? Was it because she felt so little for Richard? Was it because her relationship with him inspired nothing in her, and that blasé feeling had overtaken all parts of the relationship, even hampering her ability to end it?

Her delay and disregard concerning her failed relationship may have cost her dearly this time. Before last night, she had not realized the potential impact of her procrastination. Nevertheless, Carol’s words had sent her into a tailspin and made her mind reel. Carol was one of the most important things in her life, and yet Therese’s procrastination put her in this position. She knew it was time to stop putting off her breakup and deal with it. She needed to fix the situation, and fix it immediately. 

If Richard wasn’t such a goddamn ass and would simply answer his cell, Therese would have broken up with him over the phone. It wasn’t something she’d ordinarily consider, thinking it too harsh, but considering his recent behavior, she wouldn’t have thought twice about it. Instead, she found herself on I-90 in the middle of the night.

Therese felt her pockets for her phone, but it wasn’t there. With her eyes still on the road, she felt around the center console, between the seats, inside her door pocket, and even tried to feel if it had fallen on the floor in the dark. When her car’s tires hit the rumble strip, she jerked the Subaru back in her lane and gave up her search. She must have left in such a hurry that she forgot her phone or dropped it. She hoped it wasn’t on the ground at her campsite, not because she thought someone might take it, but she worried about it baking in the sun for hours. While essentially nothing had changed, suddenly she felt small and vulnerable as she drove down the interstate. She tried to recall when traveling without a smartphone was a thing, but she couldn’t. 

Therese had planned to text Carol in the morning, if for nothing more than to say she was sorry and to let her know she was making an effort to take care of things. Since she hadn’t memorized Carol’s phone number, talking to Carol would have to wait until she returned. Therese hoped to get this dreaded deed taken care of as soon as possible so she could get back on the road to Sun Lakes. After they fought and Carol rejected her, Therese had retreated to her tent heartbroken. Yet when Carol came to her, it gave her a glimmer of hope and sparked something in her. She wanted nothing more than to tell Carol her relationship with Richard was over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest readers,   
> 
> 
> The sheer number of comments continues to bewilder me. Sometimes it feels like waking up and walking amid the wreckage of a massive party, but luckily some drunk fool took video, so I still get to enjoy it. I am doing my best to respond to as many comments as possible. If I have missed responding to one of your comments on the last couple of chapters, please forgive me. Let me know in the comments section or my email is in my profile if you were hoping for a response from me and didn't get it. With so many email notifications and the strangely threaded system AO3 uses, it is sometimes difficult for me to distinguish whether a comment is to me or you are talking amongst yourselves.   
> 
> 
> Speaking of which, I am so happy that this has become a book club of sorts, a place to gather and discuss - especially those pesky, divisive chapters like this one - during this globally unprecedented time of isolation, fear, and questions about what the future will look like. To those who have reached out and thanked writers like CG and me for providing bright spots in these otherwise dreary times, we find this heart-warming and something we never expected. I appreciate the daily communication with readers who bring positivity to my own life.   
> 
> 
> Thank you for coming and reading, and thank you to those of you interacting. You are providing something special for all of us. For those of you watching from the wings, there are still plenty of seats. It's a fantastic bunch, so join in the fun at any point. We would love to have you.   
> 
> 
> P. 


	23. The Breakup

Morning commute traffic slowed Therese’s progress considerably as she tried to get to Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood where Richard lived. Seattle felt different to her, and she tried to put her finger on what it was.  _ Moist. It was moist. _ Therese rolled down her window and breathed in. The petrichor from the overnight rain wafted through the air as the morning sun began to warm the ground and vegetation. 

When she finally neared Richard’s apartment, Therese circled the block a few times before she found a parking spot. Richard lived on the second floor of a partitioned house. With his spare key in hand, she walked up the stairs before deciding to knock instead.

Richard opened the door, his hair wet and ruffled from a shower. He was obviously surprised to see her, and the expression on his face made her think he might have been expecting someone else.

“Oh, Therese.” He combed his unruly hair down with his fingers. “What are you doing here?”

Therese walked past him into the small dining area. She noticed his apartment was messy, but not as messy as usual, which surprised her. “It smells good in here,” she said. “It smells like coffee.”

“Do you want some?” he asked, moving toward the kitchen.

“You don’t drink coffee.” She stared at him and watched him fidget with his fingernail.

He shrugged. “I’ve learned to like it. Do you want some or not?”

Therese nodded. “Yeah, thanks.” She was beginning to feel the fatigue from her lack of sleep. He poured her a cup. She gently blew across the top, took a sip, and recoiled. “What flavor is this?”

Richard fumbled around in two cupboards before he located the bag of grounds. “Coconut mocha,” he told her. 

“Difficult to remember, huh?” she asked him, setting the disgusting cup of brew on the table. He didn’t answer her and stayed in the kitchen as if he was afraid to get too close to her. It didn’t escape Therese that there had been no affectionate greeting from him, neither physical nor verbal.

“I’ve been trying to contact you,” she said. 

Again, he shrugged like a five-year-old. She wanted to slap the shrug right out of him. “I really haven’t been using my phone much these days. I needed a break from technology.”

“Really?” she challenged him. “I’m supposed to believe a man getting his Technology MBA needs a break from technology?” 

Richard shifted uncomfortably and declined to answer, silence being his obvious strategy to get through the conversation.

“I’ve been gone for seven weeks. Seven weeks! Do you know how many times I’ve heard from you?” Her eyes blazed at him.

Richard stuck to his game plan and didn’t say a word. He took a deep breath and sighed, leaning back against the counter.

“We’re done, Richard.” She was tired of this game. “This has gone on far too long.” 

He pushed his hands deep in his pockets but said nothing.

She took his key off her keyring and set it on the table. “I need to use the bathroom. Get me a box or some bags I can put my stuff in.” She walked down the hall to the bathroom. 

Therese noticed the bathroom was messy, but not quite its normal state of squalor. His wet towel was on the floor along with the boxers he probably slept in, but the area around the sink was fairly clean. Like usual, an empty cardboard roll was all that was left on the toilet paper holder, and a half-used roll sat on the back of the tank. While Therese sat there, she changed the roll. Reaching over, she opened the door under the sink to throw away the old roll when something on the floor under the sink’s cabinets caught her eye. A pink hair tie had fallen on the floor and been kicked under the overhang. She picked it up. Blonde hairs had wound and knotted themselves around the elastic band’s metal crimping. She set it on the counter.

Pulling the garbage can out from under the sink, she was surprised to see a plastic bag in it. Using the cardboard toilet paper roll, she pushed aside used tissues and peered below. Therese was hardly surprised when she saw the purple plastic wrapping from a tampon, different from the kind she used. Another push of tissues revealed a used condom and wrapper. Swallowing her disgust, she returned the garbage can to where it had been. Therese flushed, washed her hands, and dried them on her pants, not trusting the wrinkled towel hanging over the toilet. Before she exited the bathroom, she hung the pink elastic band on the faucet.

When she returned, not only had Richard found a banker’s box for her to use, but he had already begun to put some of her things in it, like the well-worn Sleater-Kinney t-shirt she liked to sleep in, her coffee mug her friend Molly gave her for graduation that said  _ ‘Sleep with a Geologist. We know how to make the Bedrock _ ,’ her UW sweatshirt, and her Kindle, which she thought she had lost and had been missing during recent nights in her tent.

“Do you want this?” The voiceless man finally spoke. He held up a framed photo of the two of them together while hiking on Mt. Rainer. 

“No,” Therese told him. “Do whatever you want with it.” She walked around the apartment looking for any remaining items that belonged to her. She picked up the pretty rock she had found washed up on the shoreline near Ozette during one of their camping trips that had been sitting on a shelf below Richard’s television. Her Vancouver Canucks cap was hanging on the back of his bedroom door along with her plaid robe. Other than that, Therese had left little evidence of their relationship in Richard’s apartment. 

Richard still stood in the kitchen. Setting the box by the door, she turned to him and held out her hand. “I want my key.”

He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his keys. Richard located her brass key and took it off the ring. He extended it to her from a good distance away.

“I’ll mail you your things,” she told him.

“Thanks,” he managed to mumble.

She picked up the box and looked at him one last time. “We should have done this a long time ago.” 

Richard shifted uncomfortably, his eyes on the floor. “It’s not all my fault,” he grumbled.

“I never said it was.” Therese stared at him, feeling nothing except annoyance. “You could have answered your damn phone. What a waste of my time,” Therese said, shaking her head. She wasn’t necessarily referring only to her middle-of-the-night drive. She opened the door.

“Tell whoever bought that coffee that it tastes like shit.” As Therese shut the door behind her, she caught Richard’s stunned expression and smiled to herself. She wasn’t remotely sad, not one little bit.

* * *

Maybe it was from driving half the night, or maybe it was from having to keep her emotions in check while dealing with Richard, but Therese was exhausted by the time she unlocked the door to her apartment. It looked even more dim and uninviting than usual, and the air smelled stale. Therese wondered if she forgot to run the garbage disposal in the kitchen sink before she left. She dumped the box just inside the door and sank into the couch with her bag of McDonald’s. She inhaled her Big Mac and the fries she hadn’t eaten in the car. She couldn’t recall the last thing she ate.

Finally full and feeling comfortable back at home, Therese struggled to keep her eyes open. She reached for her non-existent phone for the hundredth time before finally going to her bedroom to retrieve her travel alarm from the nightstand drawer. Intending only to sleep for an hour or two before hitting the road again, she set the alarm and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over herself. 

Therese had been semi-aware of hitting snooze a few times, but when she woke up and realized it was nearly 5:00 pm, she cursed aloud and chastised herself. Jumping up, she folded the blanket and neatly laid it over the back of the couch.

She wished she didn’t immediately recycle the phone book that got delivered to her door every year. If she hadn’t, maybe she could have seen if there was a number for the State Park system inside, but prior to this moment, she had never seen the need for a phone book. A millennial with a phone book was about as rare as a baby boomer with TikTok. Her laptop inside her tent over 200 miles away was just as useless to her now.

Quickly she brushed her teeth, ran the garbage disposal, and left, hoping to beat rush hour traffic. Unfortunately, Therese’s route from her apartment in Fremont took her straight through downtown Seattle. She entered the mass of commuters trying to leave the city to go home to the suburbs. Sitting in standstill traffic on the floating Third Lake Washington bridge, Therese was left with nothing but the radio and her thoughts.

Therese hadn’t intended to be gone so long, and she wondered if Carol had noticed that she was not at the park. Therese hated that she couldn’t text or call her. She couldn’t even relay a message to Carol through Dannie or Phil. Carol may have been upset with her, but Therese’s intention was never to cause Carol to worry, yet here she was, immobile and incommunicado. It was beginning to dawn on Therese what the situation might look like to Carol and her friends at the park.

The horrendous traffic had one benefit. It gave Therese ample time to think. She had just broken up with Richard, yet swimming beneath the worry concerning not having her phone and not being able to contact Carol was pure, unadulterated euphoria. Therese no longer had the euphemistic ball-and-chain weighing her down. When she hit Issaquah, traffic began to thin out and everyone’s speed increased. Therese found herself flying down the interstate happy and finally free. It may have been two days past the officially observed Independence Day, but Therese celebrated her own independence on this day.

Therese pulled off at a gas station in Ellensburg. While her tank filled with fuel, she went inside. A young man behind the counter with full tattoo sleeves did not glance up at her from his body-building magazine until she spoke. “Do you have a phone book?”

“Seriously?” he asked, then shook his head. 

Resigned to having no way to contact Carol, Therese went back outside, hung up the gas pump’s hose, and resumed her drive. As she turned onto the entrance ramp, Therese reflected on the current status of her life. She still had a few hours of sunlight left. Her beloved work lay before her. Her two new friends were back at the campground. All she had to do now was beg Carol to forgive her.

* * *

Carol parked her truck, left the headlights on, and turned on the truck’s red-and-blue light bar. She got out and swung one side of the park’s gates closed. This allowed her to control the influx of cars that would be coming back from the laser show soon without some idiot unsafely trying to drive around her as she talked to the car in front of them. Ready for the laser show goers, she returned to her vehicle and sat down in the driver’s seat. She picked up Therese’s cell phone from her dashboard and held it, still inside its plastic bag. She wished the phone could give her a clue to what was going on with Therese, but it remained stubbornly silent, its battery now completely dead.

Despite it being too early for returning campers, Carol could see a vehicle’s headlights coming down the road into the canyon. She got out of her truck and watched, hoping it would turn. Her heart thudded unnecessarily fast, adrenaline spiking, her breaths rapid and shallow. The vehicle indeed turned right to descend the two-lane road into the park. Carol couldn’t determine the vehicle’s make in the darkness, but she could see that it had a bike rack on top. The vehicle slowed as it approached her, and Carol turned on her Maglite and motioned for the car to stop. She nearly cried when she saw it was a Subaru. Therese sat in the driver’s seat, unharmed as far as Carol could see, and was in the process of rolling down her window.

“Please step out of the vehicle,” Carol told her. She saw Therese’s eyes register momentary shock, but Therese did as she was told and swung her door open as Carol stepped out of the way. Carol lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the younger woman. “Please do not ever do that to me again, you hear?” she whispered against Therese’s ear. Therese’s arms tightened around her. “I thought something happened to you.”

“I’m so sorry,” Therese managed to say. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I lost my phone.”

“I have your phone. I couldn’t imagine where you would have gone without it. I’ve been worried sick,” Carol told her through tears, pulling back to look into her eyes. “Where did you go?”

Therese smiled. “It’s done. I took care of it. I’m single.” She wiped her own eyes that now shined with happy tears.

“Therese.” Carol had no more words. She tipped up Therese’s face and kissed her passionately before enveloping her in a hug again. One hand smoothed Therese’s hair and held her head close to Carol’s chest. “I was so worried that I made you so upset that you drove off, and something happened to you,” she whispered. They stood there, pressed tightly together for some time. 

Finally, Therese spoke. “I’m so sorry that I never told you about him. It’s not like I made a decision in my mind to hide my relationship with him from you. I knew it was something that I needed to deal with eventually, and I guess I hoped it would just never come up between us before I could. He really meant nothing to me. It turns out I also meant nothing to him.” She raised her head to look at Carol.

“I can’t imagine what he was thinking.” Then Carol’s demeanor changed as if a shadow crossed her face. “You and I need to talk. We’ve both been neglectful. There are things about me you need to know as well.”

“Like what?” Therese asked, putting a few inches between them.

“You asked me why I don’t date, and I never answered you, but now is not the time. People will be coming back from the laser show soon. I shouldn’t even be standing here holding you like this while I’m in uniform. I need to do my job tonight, but let’s find time to talk. Right now, you need to sleep.”

Resigned, Therese nodded. She hugged Carol tightly again. “I thought about you a lot today. I hoped you wouldn’t stay mad at me forever.”

Carol squeezed her tightly. “I was so worried that I told myself I would put out an APB on you and your car come midnight if you hadn’t returned. Can you imagine the harassment and reprimand I’d get as an officer putting out an APB on the woman I’m in love with when she showed up fine an hour later?”

Therese yanked her head back to look at Carol. “What?”

Carol’s eyes grew wide as she realized the words that had come out of her mouth in her emotional state. “Um, APB. It means an all-points bulletin. Sometimes they call it a BOLO,” Carol rambled.

“That’s not what I meant.” Therese shook her head.

“You heard me,” Carol said, suddenly unable to breathe. “Don’t make me say it again.” She looked down at her shoes. Had there been more than moonlight, Therese surely would have seen the blush start to blossom on her cheeks. 

“You’re in love with me?” Therese asked. It was more a statement than a question, almost as if she just wanted to hear the phrase once more. Her dimples made their grand entrance.

“Didn’t you know? Why do you think I was so upset?” Carol slipped her hand to the nape of Therese’s neck and her thumb brushed back and forth just below Therese’s ear. “At first I was sad and hurt. Then, I was so worried about you when no one could find you. All of the other feelings disappeared when I didn’t know where you were and if you were okay.” She leaned her forehead against Therese’s.

“I’m okay. I’m very okay.” Therese kissed her gently. 

Carol had forgotten just how fantastic it felt to kiss Therese. She had desperately wanted to kiss her when she had shown up in the middle of the night to Therese’s tent, less than 24 hours prior, which now felt like a lifetime ago. Therese’s kiss was infinitely soft, yielding and yearning, and fanning flames within Carol that she had no way to put out anytime soon. Carol pulled away.

“Go,” she instructed, sucking in a deep breath as if the fire inside her had claimed all her oxygen. “Go, and let the boys know you’re okay. They’re really worried, too. They wanted to form their own search party.”

Therese hung her head. “I feel so bad.” She got in her car.

“Wait,” Carol said and reached into her truck. She pulled out a plastic bag containing Therese’s cell phone. She took the phone out and crumpled the bag into a ball that she stuffed into her pocket. She handed Therese her phone.

“What’s with the bag?” Therese asked. 

Carol sighed and smoothed her uniform. “I didn’t know if it would need to be dusted for prints at some point.”

Therese looked at the phone in her hand. “You really were worried. I am so sorry, Carol.”

Carol leaned into Therese’s open window and gently kissed her cheek. “I am so happy to see you,” she whispered. She stood up. “Now, go tell the boys you’re fine.” She rapped twice on the top of Therese’s Subaru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope my favorite King County reader enjoys a rare west side chapter.
> 
> A huge thanks to CG who spent an hour editing this or telling me to get out of the document because she still wasn't done, and who still continues to love me. ❤️


	24. The Aftermath

The boys were still outside drinking and playing cards when Therese pulled into her campsite. Eager to see her, they met her as she exited her car.

“You gave us a scare!” Phil said, hugging her tightly.

“Phil, I can’t breathe.” She patted him on his chest as he released her. Dannie immediately took his place and wrapped his arms around her.

“Where were you? We were worried about you,” he said, finally letting her go.

“I’m really sorry, guys.” She shut her car door. “I decided I needed to go home to deal with Richard once and for all, and it took longer than I thought it would.”

Dannie pointed at Phil. “I was right!” Phil acknowledged his brother’s statement with a slow nod. “Does Carol know you’re back?” Dannie asked. 

“Yes,” Therese said as they all moved toward the lantern-lit table. “She was at the gate when I drove in.” Without asking, Phil cracked open a can of beer and handed it to her. Phil and Therese sat on one side across from Dannie, who absentmindedly picked up the cards on the table and shuffled them.

“I thought you might have gone back to Seattle. We didn’t know if Carol knew that you had a boyfriend, so we couldn’t say much,” Dannie told her. “Therese, she was really worried though. I don’t know if you realize how worried.”

A lone tear ran down Therese’s cheek, a culmination of the emotions of the day, all the driving, and her need for sleep.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Dannie said, covering her small hand with his large one. 

“Carol found out about Richard, and she was really angry with me,” Therese said, wiping the wet trail from her cheek. “I knew I had to drive home right away and break up with him.”

“How did she find out?” Phil asked. He swatted at a mosquito buzzing around his head.

“Her friend Abby told her,” Therese told them. “She must have been standing in line near us at lunch yesterday and overheard me talking to you.”

“Aw, I’m so sorry, T,” Dannie said.

“Carol and I need to talk more, but it’s okay for now.” She took a sip of beer. “I’m actually relieved the whole thing with Richard is over and done with,” Therese said thoughtfully.

“How did the actual breakup go?” Phil asked.

Therese shrugged. “Fairly uneventful. He’s obviously seeing someone else, so he’s probably just as happy to be breaking up as I am.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, T,” Phil said. “He didn’t deserve you.”

“Or your Subaru,” Dannie added. 

Therese laughed, and her eyes welled up with tears again. “I have to go to bed before I end up crying again. I’m so tired. Thank you for the beer. I’m taking it with me.”

“Get some sleep, and we can spend time together tomorrow,” Dannie said. “We have one more day here to hang out with you.”

“What about Melanie and whats-her-name?” Therese asked. “Sorry, I forgot...”

“Britney,” Phil finished. “They went home to Olympia.”

“Think about what you want to do tomorrow,” Dannie told her as Therese got up from the table. “Come over and have some breakfast when you wake up.”

“Okay.” Therese tried not to stumble as she made her way to her own campsite. “Goodnight, guys.”

When she got to her tent, she plugged her phone into her battery pack and texted Carol. 

**Gonna spend time with Dannie and Phil before they leave tomorrow. Busy tomorrow evening?**

Carol didn’t respond right away, so Therese made her nightly trip to the restrooms. By the time she returned, she had two texts waiting for her.

**I’m on duty tomorrow night**

Carol’s text ended with a sad face, but she sent a follow-up text.

**We could spend time together on Wednesday. I’m off.**

Therese responded.

**I’d love that**

Carol must have been busy at the gate because it was quite a bit later when her text woke Therese.

**Me too. Looking forward to it**

Therese smiled as she typed back her response.

**Goodnight**

Carol responded right away.

**Sweet dreams xo**

* * *

As promised, Dannie and Phil had breakfast ready for Therese, even if it was 11:30 when she finally crawled out of her tent. Forever playing cards, the brothers put aside their cribbage game to chat with her while she ate. They were already nursing a couple of beers.

“I just need to take a quick shower before we head down to the lake,” Therese told them between bites.

“No,” Dannie insisted as she finished eating her hash. “We waited for you to get up, but we’re not waiting for you to shower. You’re just going to be getting in the lake anyway.”

“I don’t even remember the last time I had a shower,” Therese grumbled. “I’m disgusting.”

“Yes, you are, and you have some serious bedhead, but you’ll survive. We’re missing prime sunshine.” Phil set freshly washed dishes on the tablecloth to dry. “And you’re not allowed to steal any more quarters from my car.” 

Therese glowered at him. “Fine, but I’m running to the store to buy some beer.” Neither brother objected to that.

* * *

Abby opened the door to enter the general store and nearly ran into Therese carrying out two cold six-packs of Lagunitas.

“Oh,” Abby said, trying to regain her composure after the surprise of seeing Therese. They stood outside and stared at each while Abby still held the door open with one hand. “You’re back.

“Yes. I am.” Therese said coldly. “Why do you care?”

Abby considered the question. “I really don’t. I care about Carol’s happiness, as I’ve told you before.”

“Abigail Gerhard, close that door! You’re letting the cool air out!” Maggie yelled from inside. Abby let go of the door and rolled her eyes.

“Is that what you call it?” Therese probed, staring holes into Abby. 

Abby ignored the question and glared at her. “That was quite the little act you pulled, disappearing and making her worry. Forgetting your phone was a nice touch.” Abby smirked at Therese. “I’m sure she completely forgot how angry she was with you. It probably made your little omission just fade into the background.”

Much to Abby’s surprise, Therese stepped closer to her, her green eyes blazing. Abby was suddenly glad Therese’s hands were occupied. 

“Let me tell you something, Abby,” Therese spat. “Despite what you believe, whatever is going on between Carol and me is none of your business. She may tell you some things, but I guarantee she does not tell you everything.” Therese took a step back and winked at her. “Now, if you will please excuse me. These beers are heavy.”

Steamed, Abby watched Therese walk away. She wondered if Therese was right.

* * *

Upon her return, Therese humored the brothers and changed into the black halter top from her two-piece and a black-and-white pair of men’s board shorts _sans_ shower. As they carried their towels and beer down to the lake, they passed the ranger station where a young male and female ranger stood outside talking near a parked truck. Therese thought of Carol, sleeping not far away, and wished she could crawl in bed next to her and get some more rest with Carol in her arms.

Despite her inclinations concerning Carol, it was Therese’s last day with the boys until Labor Day weekend, and she really did want to spend some time with them before they left. They found a spot offering both sun and shade not far from where they had watched fireworks and spread out their towels. 

“You’ve gotten tan,” Dannie told her. “You were as white as I am when you showed up here.”

Therese looked at her arms. Her skin had turned a golden brown, and she had noticed tan lines from her swimsuit in the mirror after her showers recently. “You should use this,” she said, tossing him her sunscreen. “You Irish boys need to be careful.” She laid back on her towel to let her sunscreen dry a bit before getting in the water.

Phil set a beer down in the grass next to her. “Is Carol working today?”

“No,” Therese said, her forearm over her eyes. “She’s on duty tonight, so she’s probably sleeping now. I’ll see her tomorrow.”

“Are you nervous about the big talk?” Phil asked.

Therese considered his question. “I don’t really know. She didn’t really say what she wanted to talk about.”

“Maybe she has a boyfriend in Spokane,” Phil joked. 

Therese rolled her eyes. “I certainly hope not.” It may have been in jest, but Phil’s simple sentence caused an unexpected emotional jolt inside her, and Therese suddenly understood what it must have felt like for Carol when she found out about Richard.

“But she’s not mad at you anymore, right?” Dannie asked, looking at the excess sunscreen on his hands and deciding to use it on his ears.

“No, I don’t think so,” Therese said, removing her arm from her eyes and squinting into the harsh sunlight. “The fact I had a boyfriend was a huge deal to her. Now that I don’t, we seem to be okay again.”

“Maybe she has really strong ethics,” Phil suggested. “Having a good moral compass isn’t a bad thing.”

“What does that say about me?” Therese laughed.

“I didn’t mean it like that. None of us knows what your relationship with that dickhead was really like except you. It was a dead-end and you knew it. You weren’t off kissing Carol when you had a boyfriend you were in love with or who was in love with you, if that makes sense,” Phil said, awkwardly.

“I’m not sure that makes it better. I don’t know that I’d make the same decision if I had to do it over again,” Therese reflected, adjusting her bathing suit top.

“You wouldn’t have kissed Carol?” Dannie asked, surprised.

“Oh, I definitely would have kissed Carol. I just would have driven to Seattle a hell of a lot sooner to dump his ass,” Therese said with a grin. “The last one in is a rotten egg,” she yelled as she jumped up and ran for the water’s edge.


	25. The Girlfriend

“I’ll hold it steady while you get in.” Carol grasped the edge of the rowboat and held it firmly against the dock. “Take my hand.” Therese held Carol’s hand and gingerly stepped into the boat, but it rocked nonetheless. Carol squeezed her hand and steadied her until Therese found her balance. “You sit there,” Carol instructed, nodding toward the simple wooden bench. She waited until Therese was seated before she released her hand.

“What do I need to do?” Therese asked. 

“Just hold onto the dock until I get in.” 

Therese held the boat in place as Carol sat on the edge of the dock and swung her legs into the boat. In one graceful, fluid motion, she lowered herself into the vessel and sat opposite Therese. She pulled the pair of oars from beneath their seats and secured each one into the oarlock.

“You can let go now,” Carol told her with an amused grin.

Therese gave up her hold on the dock and settled for grasping the wooden seat below her. “So where are we going?” Therese asked.

“There,” Carol turned her head and motioned with her chin to a small island in the middle of Park Lake. The almost circular protrusion of rock rose up from the water with a thin, sloping, and rocky beach. No more than a few stories tall, the island flattened out into a small, round plateau on top. Basically barren, it was free of people as most swimmers and boaters headed for shore at this time of the day.

“Just right there?” 

“Just right there?” Carol mimicked her with a laugh. “Do you see a motor on this thing?” Carol cut the oars into the water with sure, purposeful strokes. They glided over the lake’s turquoise waters toward the island. The heat of the day was fading with the setting sun.

Therese smiled and dipped her hand into the water as the rowboat skated across its surface. Her trailing fingers left four individual wakes. “Does it have a name?” 

“Big Rock Island,” Carol said, her biceps visible with each stroke. 

“That’s not very imaginative. Why are we going there?” she asked more seriously.

Carol glanced behind her and adjusted the boat’s trajectory before responding. “It’s quiet, and we can talk.” Her eyes met Therese’s, and she smiled. Therese asked no more questions during the remainder of their short voyage. 

With the boat dragged up on the small beach, Carol and Therese made the short hike to the top. Picking out a spot with a good view of the setting sun, they sat down next to each other.

“So Dannie and Phil left?” Carol asked, suddenly anxiously picking blades of wild grasses and tossing them before her. 

“Yes,” Therese replied, “but why the small talk? I know you already knew that.”

Carol sucked in a deep breath and sighed loudly. She wrapped her arms around her knees. 

Therese turned her head to look at her. “Whatever this is, if you’re not ready, you don’t have to do this right now,” Therese said softly.

“No, I want to. There are things I need to tell you. That doesn’t mean it is easy though.” Carol shook her head slightly, her blonde curls swinging loosely. “I knew this was going to be difficult for me.” They stared at the last remnant of the sun dipping below the cliffs.

Therese waited quietly for Carol to continue when she was ready. She focused on the scenery in front of them rather than make eye contact in the hopes that it put less pressure on Carol.

When Carol spoke, her voice was so low that Therese strained to hear her. “Therese, you asked me why I don’t date, or at least why you heard other people say I don’t date.” Carol paused. “About six years ago, the park hired a woman who had been a ranger at Lake Chelan State Park. Her name was Genevieve. Gen and I were assigned as roommates in the house I live in now. We got along well together. We quickly became friends and then more. It wasn’t long before we were sharing one of the house’s bedrooms.” 

A pang hit Therese in the center of her chest. The despair in Carol’s tone of voice didn’t correspond with the words she was saying. Therese badly wanted to know what happened to the woman that had Carol’s voice faltering, but she bit her tongue and listened intently.

“We fell in love. Gen and I were together for four years. We talked about our future. She and I thought we had it all, living here, doing the jobs we loved. It was idyllic. I loved her madly. We even talked about getting married.” 

Carol fell silent for so long that Therese finally looked at her. She was not surprised to find small rivulets of tears trickling down Carol’s face. Therese reached over and gently rubbed Carol’s back between her shoulder blades. When Carol finally spoke, her words were strained, broken.

“There was a fire in the park two years ago. Gen was on duty and was the first to respond. It was late in the day - dusk - and the wind was beginning to pick up. The fire started just off the road in the northern part of the park. Gen tried to get a fire line around it, but the winds flared up and changed direction.” Carol wept outright, her sentences broken with gasping sobs. “She was caught between the fire and the cliff. It all happened so quickly. By the time the second ranger arrived, it was too late.”

“Oh, God. Carol,” Therese whispered. “I’m so sorry.” Thoughts and images exploded in Therese’s mind from all directions. It was so much information to process, so many statements that just left her with a multitude of additional questions. She knew that this was not her time to ask. This was Carol’s time to tell.

Therese’s hand stilled on Carol’s back.

“Please, don’t stop,” Carol pleaded. Therese resumed rubbing Carol’s back, and Carol continued. 

“She was trained, just like I am. She knew better. She should have left herself an escape route, but the wind… You’ve experienced the wind. It’s brutal.” Carol wiped her face with her hand. “That was two years ago. I haven’t dated anyone since,” Carol said, shrugging her shoulders. She finally looked at Therese. “Well, not until you. I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t even imagine dating anyone again, let alone giving myself completely to someone else. Then one day, you drove up.” She smiled fondly at Therese through her tears.

Therese wrapped one arm around Carol and pulled her close. Carol laid her head on Therese’s shoulder. 

“There’s more,” Carol said quietly.

“When you’re ready,” Therese whispered, planting a soft kiss on her temple.

* * *

**_Twenty-two months earlier_ **

Carol sobbed into the inky darkness in the one place where she could be alone without any interruptions or anyone within earshot. She hugged her knees to her chest. “You… bitch. I thought we were in love. I thought we would be together forever.” Her words echoed back to her own ears in the small space. “I thought you loved me. I believed you.” She wiped her eyes and nose with her tissue, already too wet to do any good. “I trusted you, and you broke my heart,” she wailed softly, though no one could hear her. She let her head hang down and cried, wet droplets soaking through her pant legs. Her sobbing was so intense that her chest hurt from the constricting spasms. 

“How could you do this? I loved you so much,” Carol said quietly between gasps, “and you left me like this.” She rocked back and forth on the small space she had cleared. She thought about all the years that they had spent together and how they only seemed wasted now. Memories once cherished and held dear had tarnished and soured. The things that Carol had loved - Genevieve, the park, her work - she now associated with anger, sorrow, and distaste. She had never felt so alone.

Making an attempt to stop crying before the vomiting started, as it often did, Carol focused on deep breaths and counting down from 10 as her therapist had taught her. Weeks of therapy had not yet been able to quell episodes like this one. She was listless during the day, going through the routine of her work like a zombie. Sometimes Carol had to drive back around the park a second time on nightly rounds because she couldn’t recall if she locked all the gates. The deep-seated emotions that never seemed to leave her took up too much space for any other thoughts.

Her anger and rage fought against sadness and grief. The emotional tug-of-war she experienced on a daily and nightly basis was draining the life from her. When the emotions built up to unmanageable levels, she came to this place to let some of it out, like a pressure-release valve for her heart.

She groped around blindly until she found the box in the dark and pulled another tissue from it. Loudly blowing her nose, she felt her body start to relax. Focusing on her breathing, she sat another 10 minutes to allow her body to return to its baseline.

Finally, Carol turned on her light and left.

* * *

**_Twenty-five months earlier_ **

Carol’s fingers traveled down the spine of the slender woman sleeping next to her. She admired the way the woman’s jet black hair curled softly on the pillow in the moonlight, one arm thrown above her head. Carol’s hand traced faint tan lines until it brushed over the soft skin of the woman’s side. Carol wished the swell of breast pushed into the mattress was more visible as she caressed its contour. The woman slept peacefully, only twitching slightly now and then at the tingle of Carol’s fingers when they neared the base of her spine. 

The scent of their lovemaking filled the small room, and Carol’s inner thighs were still wet from bringing Genevieve to her last orgasm. Carol could have easily enjoyed a second orgasm, but she had had to cajole Gen into having sex initially, so she was content with the outcome. Gen had ended up enjoying the experience, too, once she accepted Carol’s overtures. After years together, she knew what Gen liked, what made her respond. Tonight Carol needed to feel the shuddering exhilaration of reaching her own high and to experience the feeling of making the woman she loved come to climax, too. She succeeded in both.

Planting a soft kiss on Gen’s shoulder, Carol pulled the sheet over her girlfriend and slid out of bed. As she walked toward the bathroom in the darkness to pee, she noticed the screen of a phone light up in the pocket of one of their identical olive-colored pants among the many pieces of discarded clothing strewn about the floor. She bent over and pulled out the phone, taking it to the bathroom with her. In the bathroom light, she stood there in shock when she realized it wasn’t either one of their iPhones, but a Motorola. She pressed the button on the phone’s side and its screen lit up again, showing a locked numerical keypad, but also a notification of a new text at the top. Carol read the text that had been sent from a local phone number she didn’t recognize. 

**Text me after she falls asleep, baby. Luv you**

Sickened, Carol’s hands shook so badly that she nearly dropped the phone. Fighting the urge to vomit, she tried the password she knew Gen used on her iPhone, the date of their first kiss, but it would not unlock the Motorola. Carol finished in the bathroom and returned to their room. As if in a trance, she slid the phone back into Gen’s pants pocket and crawled into bed next to a woman she no longer knew.


	26. The Cheater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did my best to respond to comments last chapter. It got a bit messy. If I missed yours, please let me know. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“You must have been heartbroken.” Therese held one of Carol’s hands in her lap and tenderly ran a thumb over her fingers.

Carol’s eyes met hers. “I was, but not exactly how you probably think.” Carol pivoted her body toward Therese. “Therese, I haven’t told anyone this except my therapist and the fire investigators. Not my family, not Abby. No one.” She dipped her head, her eyes on the ground beneath them.

Carol was reticent for so long that Therese wondered if she had changed her mind about telling her. Finally, Therese heard her whisper.

“You have to understand that everything was so difficult for me. The truth is, I lost Gen before that. I just don’t know exactly when.”

“How? What does that mean?” Therese asked, scowling.

“Around two weeks before the fire, I found a phone in her pants pocket late one night. It wasn’t her cell phone, or at least the one I knew about. There was a text message from someone. She was having an affair.”

“No. Oh, God.” Therese’s brain was spinning. “You had no idea? No suspicions?”

“No.” Carol hung her head and swallowed loudly. “None.”

“Do you know with whom?” Therese asked.

Carol shook her head. “It was a phone number I didn’t recognize. No name.”

“Whoa.” Therese blew out through pursed lips. “Oh, wow.” She let go of Carol’s hand and brushed the hair back from her face with both hands. “You didn’t ask her?”

“I was so shocked, so stunned. I was in complete denial. I don’t even know how I managed to go about normal life those two weeks before her death. When I managed to get over the shock, my anger replaced it. Suddenly all these little excuses and oddities in our relationship were making sense. First, I had to find my way out of denial. Then I was figuring out just how to best to confront her when the fire happened. I waited too long. We never… “ Carol swallowed and tried to compose herself. “We never did talk.” Despite her attempts to quell them, tears crept from the corners of her eyes again.

Therese held out her arms, and Carol came to her. They stayed like that for some time. Nocturnal life at the park started to stir as the indigo sky darkened above them.

“The investigators didn’t try to find out who she was sleeping with? I would think they would want to eliminate the possibility the fire wasn’t an accident,” Therese said.

Carol sat back and picked a few long blades of grass growing between them. “They were initially concerned it might have been intentional because the fire started near the road, but that could just mean someone threw a cigarette butt as they were walking by or tossed it out of a car window. The phone was found on her body. Both phones were. That was the only evidence of the affair, and it was destroyed. The investigators weren’t able to come up with anything more.” Even Carol realized her voice sounded mechanical and hollow, devoid of emotion as she recited the facts she had gone over so many times.

“Carol, why didn’t you tell anyone? You’ve been carrying this secret all by yourself?” Therese questioned.

“You have to understand what a whirlwind it all was. There was the investigation, a memorial, a funeral, media everywhere, her family traveled to see the site, my parents came here to be with me. I was supposed to be grieving. I  _ was _ grieving, just not exactly how everyone believed. In the middle of helping to pick out flower sprays for her casket with her family, I was teeming with rage so badly I had to leave. I’ve felt like a terrible person for some time now.” Carol dropped her head to her chest and stared at the ground between her legs. 

Carol took time for a few deep breaths before continuing. “I was embarrassed. Everyone thought we were the perfect couple, myself included, and she had been cheating on me for - I don’t even know how long. I wasn’t even sure my grief over her death was real,” Carol whispered. “I was so hurt and upset. I was so angry after I found the phone. I can’t even begin to describe my guilt. There was even a time that I wished she was dead,” Carol choked out, brought to tears again. “After the fire happened, I wondered if I had somehow caused her death because of my horrible thoughts. Maybe the universe was punishing me.” 

“I don’t think life works that way,” Therese said reassuringly. “You mentioned a therapist. I’m glad to hear you have had someone to talk to.”

“Yes, Jeanette recommended her. She’s amazing. Talking to her has helped me. I used to get terrible panic attacks. At least those have subsided. Unfortunately, Gen destroyed what trust I had in people. I’m having to work hard to repair that after what happened. For a long time, I wasn’t sure I could ever trust anyone again,” Carol admitted.

“No wonder you were so angry when you found out I had a boyfriend,” Therese murmured.

Carol laughed sardonically. “Yes, just a bit.”

“I should have done things differently,” Therese said. “I hope you know I’m sorry.”

“I know, darling,” Carol told her. Therese crept closer, and Carol put her arm around her. 

“I want you to be able to trust me,” Therese told her. 

Carol nodded slowly. “Me, too. I think I do.”

“How will I know if you really do?” Therese asked her.

Carol considered her question as she watched a string of taillights crawl up out of the valley as campers headed to the laser show. A fish jumped somewhere to their left, the splash startling both of them. “I’ll show you, but not tonight.”

Therese accepted her answer without additional questions.

“How did your breakup go, by the way? I never really asked you,” Carol said.

Therese sat up a bit and sighed. “I noticed another woman’s things in his apartment. Similar to your situation, now I wonder how long it has been going on. Richard didn’t have much to say. He’s been distant for some time. I guess it’s not a huge surprise.”

“I’m sorry. You should get tested for STIs, you know,” Carol said. “I did. I have an appointment with my therapist on Friday. I’ll give you the name of my doctor so you can call. You can drive into town with me, and I can drop you off.”

Therese nodded. “Okay, I was thinking about that, too.”

“Don’t worry. It’s quick and easy. They’ll probably just have a nurse ask you some questions and draw some blood as they did with me. I got my results in a few days. I’m sure you will be fine, and then you will have peace of mind. I’m sorry you have to go through this,” Carol told her.

“Fucking Richard.” Therese shook her head. “At least I haven’t slept with him in months. That gives me some consolation.”

Carol chuckled. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him in the beginning. I was just scared,” Therese said.

“Scared?” Carol inquired.

“I didn’t think you would want to talk to me or hang out with me if you knew I still had a boyfriend, and I like talking and hanging out with you,” Therese said.

“I like those things, too. I enjoy all the time we spend together, even if that means having difficult conversations,” Carol told her. She tucked some hair behind Therese’s ear. “I’m sorry I waited so long to tell you my secrets. I suppose I didn’t want you to see how badly damaged I am.”

“I certainly don’t see you as damaged,” Therese said. “I see a strong woman who endured a terrible, complicated tragedy. You’re kind, capable, funny, and loving. You’re great at your job, and everyone likes you. What I see is far from damaged.” 

Therese’s earnestness made Carol’s chest hurt, and she smiled through more tears. She reached for Therese’s hand. She wasn’t expecting Therese to continue.

“I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”

* * *

Carol didn’t want to stay on the island too long past dusk because they didn’t have any lights on the rowboat. Therese rowed them back. She wasn’t as confident with the oars or as strong as Carol, so it took twice as long, but Carol appeared exhausted, both emotionally and physically. They leisurely walked back to Carol’s house hand-in-hand as the night grew dark. What energy Carol had possessed at the beginning of the evening had been spent telling her story. 

However, something was nagging at Therese. She had been given so much information in such a short amount of time, and an alarm was going off in her head. Something didn’t make sense. 

“Was Gen the only casualty in the fire?” Therese asked out of the blue. 

“Yes. Why do you ask?” Carol inquired. 

“The plaque at the scenic vista, is that for her?” she asked.

“Oh, you saw that. Yes, that was for her. The State Park Department had it installed as a memorial,” Carol said. 

Therese stopped on the side of the road. “Can we sit down?”

“Ok,” Carol said, confused. Therese pulled her onto the grass and they made their way to a wooden bench that overlooked the lake. “Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know how to say this,” Therese said. “You know what they say about shooting the messenger.”

“Now you’re scaring me,” Carol told her. “I’m not like that. Please just say whatever it is.”

“Something was bothering me as you were telling me the story. I think I know who your girlfriend was cheating on you with. I’m fairly certain. I don’t know if you want to know or not.” Therese had not attempted to make eye contact with Carol the entire time she spoke. When she looked up, she saw the shock registered on Carol’s face. Carol’s mouth hung slack, and she stared at Therese.

Carol finally spoke. “Who? Of course, I want to know. How do you possibly know this?” 

Carol’s hollow tone frightened Therese, but Therese knew she had to continue. She had worried that this might go badly. While she couldn’t have cared less who Richard was sleeping with, if she had been in the position that Carol had been in with Gen, deeply in love and expecting a future together, Therese would have wanted to know. She silently hoped for very little transference of Carol’s anger coming her way.

“On my first day at the park, I pulled into the scenic vista. I was reading the plaque that told about what happened, and a ranger approached me,” Therese explained.

“If you don’t give me a name right now, I think I’m going to explode,” Carol told her.

“Harge. Your boss.” Therese waited for the reaction, but Carol sat still, not saying a word, only absorbing the information. Therese continued hesitantly. “He told me they had been dating when she died, and the last couple of years had been really hard on him, but he was just beginning to venture back into dating. Then he asked me out.”

“Harge?” Carol exhaled loudly, the disgust written on her face. “Jesus Christ.” She leaned forward and held her head in both hands. “Gen. What the fuck?”

Therese didn’t know if she should touch Carol or not, so she kept her hands in her lap.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything,” Therese said quietly.

Carol sat up, flipping her hair back as she did so. She had been crying. “No, you did the right thing. I wanted to know. How do you think it has been the last few years being suspicious of everyone around me? The damn park is worse than a small town. I figured it was probably someone I knew.”

“I’m so sorry.” Therese wasn’t certain what she was apologizing for, but she truly did feel sorry that Carol continued to go through so much trauma.

Carol reached out and took her hand. “I think I need some time alone. I should get some sleep. All of this has worn me out.”

“Are you upset that I told you?” These asked.

“What? No, of course not. Even though I knew there was someone, it’s just shocking to finally hear who it is. I never expected to hear the news from you, either.”

Therese stood up. “Let me walk you home. We both have to work in the morning.” Therese extended her hand to escort Carol home before she headed back to her campsite. She pulled Carol upright.

“You don’t have to,” Carol argued.

“Don’t be silly,” Therese told her. 

They stopped in front of Carol’s house minutes later. 

“What you said on the island - you and me,” Carol said, gently touching her arm. “It’s not too late to change your mind.” Her solemnity made Therese’s chest ache. 

Therese faced her. “It never was my mind’s decision,” she said softly with a shy smile. Carol cupped Therese’s face in her hand. Therese could see the strain and fatigue in her smile.

As much as she desperately wanted to kiss Carol, to lead her to bed, and do the things she had only so far dreamed about doing, she respected Carol’s need to be alone. Therese wrapped her arms around the waist of the slightly taller woman and held her. Her face nestled perfectly against Carol’s neck, and Therese breathed in the faint scent of Carol’s perfume. Carol returned the embrace, her arms wrapping around Therese’s shoulders, a hand resting on the back of Therese’s head. 

“I can’t promise it will be easy.”

“I know,” Therese whispered.


	27. The Decision

Carol’s therapy session flew by, and she was soon on her way back to the medical complex to pick up Therese. It was the first session that she could recall in quite some time in which she hadn’t needed the box of tissues that sat on the walnut coffee table between her and her therapist. 

When Carol pulled into the medical center’s parking lot, she spotted Therese reclining on a bench sipping something through a straw. An identical green and white cup sat on the bench next to her. Therese jumped up when she saw Carol’s truck.

“How did it go?” Carol asked her as Therese dropped cups into cup holders.

“Fine. I spent more time in the waiting room than I did in the exam room. They took some blood and said they will call me with results tomorrow or the next day. I finished so quickly that I had time to buy some milkshakes. I hope you like marionberry.”

“I do,” Carol said, reaching for hers. “Thank you.”

“How was your visit with your therapist?” Therese asked as Carol turned out of the parking lot.

“Dr. Robichek kept commenting on how happy I looked during this visit.”

“That’s good!” 

Even limited to her peripheral vision, Carol could see Therese beam at her. Carol had to admit, she did feel happy. Besides having Therese in her life, her sense of contentment had been bolstered by recent events. A huge weight had been lifted when she found out it was Harge who had been having an affair with Gen. Not knowing who Gen had been seeing had been slowly crushing her. Granted, she was beyond irate with Harge and had no idea what she would eventually do with the new information she now possessed. Regardless, as Carol drove back to the park, with Therese beside her, she felt light as air.

“Did you talk about me?” Therese suddenly asked.

“Yes. Does that bother you?” Carol inquired, glancing at the woman next to her.

Therese sipped her milkshake for a moment. “No, I guess not.”

“She thinks you’re good for me,” Carol said eventually, chewing the berry that she had sucked through her straw.

Therese grinned. “She’s a smart woman.”

* * *

Afternoon vehicle patrols typically consisted of a beautiful, scenic drive through the park while most campers were busy hiking, swimming, playing golf or mini-golf, or boating. The evenings brought on the heavy consumption of alcohol and most of the problems the park rangers had to face. Carol left the Interpretive Center’s parking lot and leisurely coasted down Highway 17. 

Carol turned on the truck’s FM radio, something she never normally used. She usually preferred silence to clearly hear any messages from dispatch or her fellow rangers. A super sappy love song from the 80s played softly, and surprisingly, Carol didn’t change the station. 

_ When you're close to me, I can feel your heartbeat.  _ Therese had been occupying her thoughts more and more, and not just when she laid in bed. Therese was all she could think about. _ I can hear you breathing near my ear.  _ Carol found herself humming along to the song.  _ Anytime you want to, you can turn me onto... _ She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her aching need had grown worse lately.  _ Anything you want to, anytime at all. _ There were no more roadblocks, no more boyfriends or secrets standing in their way. _ When I kiss your lips, ooh I start to shiver.  _ Everything that had brought them to this point led Carol to believe Therese was just as interested in her as she was with Therese. This wasn’t just lust or sex; Carol wanted all of Therese. She wanted intimacy, to experience that special togetherness with Therese that lovers possessed. She wanted to experience everything with Therese. Carol was ready and she wanted to let Therese know. She wanted to know if Therese was ready, too. Carol turned into the campground and drove toward Therese’s campsite.

Halfway to Therese’s site, she noticed Therese crossing the road in front of her and heading toward the restroom and showers. She carried an armload of items, including a towel, and did not notice the State Park vehicle. Carol parked outside the small building and got out of her truck just as the restroom’s door closed behind Therese. Carol jogged after her and thankfully found the women’s restroom empty aside for the brunette walking into one of the private showers that consisted of a small changing room and a curtained coin shower. Carol leaped forward and caught the door, surprising Therese so much that she yelped out loud. Carol slid inside and locked the door behind her. Therese’s momentary alarm turned into a wide smile when she saw Carol.

“This is a nice surprise, but what’s going on?” she asked, putting all her armful of stuff down on the small wooden bench. She carefully set some quarters on the window ledge.

Carol put her finger against Therese’s lips. “Shhh. We need to be careful. I shouldn’t be in here with you.” She carefully backed Therese up against the wall. Therese’s pupils grew large. Carol rested a forearm on the wall next to Therese’s head. She caressed Therese’s cheek with the thumb of her free hand. The only thing that separated them was her duty belt with all it’s gadgets that she had pressed into Therese’s abdomen.

“What are you doing here?” Therese asked. “I was just about to take a shower.” Her hands instinctively rested on Carol’s ribcage, just above her belt.

“I see that.” Carol brushed her lips against Therese’s cheek and whispered near her ear. “I’ve been thinking.”

“About what?” Therese whispered back. 

“About us,” Carol said. She brushed her lips along Therese’s jawline. “About you. I can’t stop thinking about you.” Carol could hear Therese’s breathing grow louder. She pulled back just enough to see that Therese had closed her eyes. 

“Oh!” Therese exclaimed breathlessly.

“Have you been thinking of me?” Carol asked her. She slid her hand from Therese’s cheek, down her neck, and rested it on her chest above her heart. Therese tightened her fingers around Carol’s waist.

“Yes. All the time.” She tried to pull Carol closer. The throbbing between Carol’s legs thumped like a timpani drum.

Carol nuzzled her face into Therese’s hair and breathed in. “All the time? Do you think about me at night?” she asked in a sultry whisper. Carol heard Therese gulp and smiled.

“Yes,” Therese answered weakly.

“Tell me what you think about.” She put enough space between them to drag her fingertips down Therese’s sternum, over her stomach, and slip them under the hem of Therese’s shirt.

‘Wha—aaat?” Therese stuttered, her eyes open again as Carol’s thumb grazed her ribcage.

“Tell me what you think about at night,” Carol repeated, pressing a soft, wet, open-mouthed kiss below Therese’s ear. 

“Uh,” Therese mumbled. She grasped Carol so desperately that Carol expected to have bruises from the indentations of Therese’s fingertips. “I think about you... doing things to me... and things I want to do to you,” she managed to utter.

“Oh, God,” Carol hadn’t been prepared to hear that. She pressed her partially open lips against Therese’s, and Therese eagerly returned her kiss. She tilted her head to get better access, wanting to consume, absorb, and meld with the woman before her. Therese moaned into her mouth. 

“Do you ever do anything else while thinking of me?” Carol whispered, nipping at Therese’s earlobe. She pulled back slightly to see Therese’s reaction.

Wide-eyed, Therese grasped for words. “Um, do you mean other than the night you came to my tent?”

Carol chuckled. “Yes.” Remembrances of that night filled her senses. Carol didn’t wait for the answer because Therese’s furious blush gave her away. She kissed Therese again hungrily.

They both heard the outer restroom door open and halted their kiss. Therese gazed up at her, and Carol smiled. She kept her hand on Therese’s ribcage. Therese was flushed and beautiful, her lips slightly swollen and pink. Carol rested her forehead against Therese’s. They waited until they heard the toilet flush, the water at the sink turn off, and the outer door squeaked open and closed with a bang. 

Carol stared into Therese’s green eyes and quietly cleared her throat. “If we are spending nights thinking about each other, don’t you think it’s about time we spend the night together?” She watched Therese the beginning of a smile spread across Therese’s face. “I’m ready if you are,” Carol whispered.

“I’ve been thinking the same thing. I’m tired of spending nights without you,” Therese said.

“Well then,” Carol said. “Will you spend the night with me tonight?” 

“Yes.” Therese kissed her again, their hunger for each other only amplified with Therese’s answer. Carol extracted her hand from Therese’s shirt.

The ring of a cell phone came from beneath Therese’s towel on the bench. “Sorry.” She reached past Carol and picked it up. She read the screen. “It’s the doctor’s office.”

“I’ll let you take it,” Carol said, reaching for the door handle. Therese caught her arm and held Carol there. She answered the call.

“Hello. Yes. Of course. I’m Therese Belivet. Eight-one-1995.” Therese stared at Carol as she listened. “Oh, I’m so relieved. Thank you. I appreciate it.” She hung up the call with a huge smile. 

Carol smiled, too. 

“My results came back fine,” Therese said, collapsing against the wall. She sighed loudly.

“Isn't knowing better than having to wonder and worry?” Carol asked her.

Therese nodded.

“We will talk later about how you have a birthday coming up,” Carol said with a wink.

“Oh, you caught that,” Therese said sheepishly. She played with the flaps on Carol’s buttoned breast pockets and traced Carol's golden name badge with a fingertip. 

“I certainly did. Unfortunately, I need to go,” Carol told her regretfully. “Can you check if the coast is clear?”

Therese let go of her. She opened the door a crack and peeked out. “It’s empty.”

Carol looked at the quarters on the windowsill and reached into her pocket. She picked out two quarters from the coins in her palm and placed them on the ledge. “There’s three more minutes of hot water on me. Enjoy your shower.” She kissed Therese quickly. “I'm looking forward to tonight. You should eat before you come over. I don’t have the willpower to sit through a meal before having you,” she whispered. Carol slipped past her and left the women’s restroom.

Therese turned on the shower and undressed, smiling the entire time. She looked at the quarters sitting on the ledge and left them there. A cold shower would do just fine.

* * *

With clean sheets on the bed and a few strategically-placed candles glowing around the house, Carol did a last-minute wardrobe change and re-checked her hair. She smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from her dress and wished she could do the same with the very-real influx of nerves suddenly plaguing her. 

She checked the champagne chilling in the refrigerator for the fourth time and took down two flutes from her cupboard. A knock on the door startled her, and she had to steady one of the flutes that she had nearly sent onto the floor. Carol took a deep breath and ran to the door. She stood with her hand on the knob and gathered herself before she opened it.

“Therese.” Carol’s smile came from her core.

Therese accepted Carol’s invitation to come inside. “Here,” Therese said. “I thought this felt celebratory, so I bought some champagne.” She brought the bottle from behind her back, the bottle an exact match to the one in Carol’s refrigerator. “I'm afraid that I didn’t have room in my cooler, so it will need to chill,” Therese said apologetically.

Carol took the bottle and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you. This will have plenty of time to chill. I have a matching bottle in the refrigerator. Between the two of us, I think we probably bought all the champagne in the valley today.” She admired how Therese looked in her sundress, the same one Therese had worn the night Carol had first kissed her. Carol turned and walked to the kitchen with Therese close behind her. Carol switched the two bottles of champagne and handed the chilled one to Therese. Happily trapped together in the tiny kitchen, Carol watched Therese pop the cork and carefully pour two glasses without spilling a drop. 

“You’re a pro,” Carol said appreciatively.

“I waited tables all through college and grad school,” Therese said. “I worked at Richard’s family’s restaurant. Have I told you that?”

“No,” Carol said, accepting a glass. “I look forward to knowing everything about you, but let’s leave his name out of things tonight.” Carol grimaced, jokingly.

“Sorry,” Therese said, blushing. 

“Don’t be.” Carol raised her glass. “To us.” They clinked glasses and drank. “Would you like to sit on the swing or the sofa?” Carol asked.

“Neither,” Therese answered, mischievously wandering backward. “Not after what you did to me in the showers.”

“And what exactly did I do?” Carol asked, grinning. She followed Therese.

Therese stopped and leaned against the door frame of the hallway that led to Carol’s bedroom. “You made it worse.” She shyly smiled at Carol.

Carol grinned. “I like hearing that,” she said as she moved closer to Therese. “I don’t know how I managed to get through the rest of my shift,” she admitted.

“I like you in a dress,” Therese said, putting a hand on Carol’s waist. “You always look nice, but you look gorgeous tonight.”

“This must be strong champagne,” Carol said, blushing.

“I think you know I find you attractive. I even told you that you were beautiful once.” She pushed herself away from the frame and touched Carol’s cheek.

“I remember that.” Carol slipped an arm around Therese’s waist and pulled her closer. Her lips grazed Therese’s. “Speaking of beautiful, I’ve wanted you for so long.” 

Therese smiled. “We’re here now.” Her green eyes sparkled. Therese turned her head, tipped up her flute, and finished what champagne remained. She discarded the empty glass on an end table. “Show me your bedroom.”

Carol took her by the hand and led Therese down the small hallway. She entered her bedroom but didn’t turn on the lights, the handful of candles around the room providing a romantic glow and filling the room with the scent of jasmine. She took a drink for courage and set the remaining glass of champagne on her nightstand. Turning back to where she had left Therese, Carol sat down on the foot of the bed in front of her. 

“Come here,” she instructed, holding out her hand. Therese took a few tentative steps toward her and stopped in front of Carol. Carol took Therese’s hand and pulled her onto her lap. Therese rested an arm around Carol’s shoulders. She intertwined the fingers of their hands and kissed Carol’s knuckles. 

“Therese,” Carol whispered. 

Therese turned her head and kissed Carol. Her hand snaked around Carol’s neck and held her close. Their lips slid against each other’s, tongues leisurely tasting and tempting. Therese kicked off her sandals. Carol slid her hand up Therese’s leg, pushing the hem of her dress up with it. Her thumb brushed over the smooth skin of Therese’s inner thigh. Therese gasped.

Slipping one arm under her legs, Carol scooped her up and then turned and laid her down on the bed before crawling on top of her. She could feel Therese’s erratic breaths as her lips traversed over her collarbone down to the breast exposed by sliding straps over Therese’s shoulder. She maneuvered her body between Therese’s legs, Therese’s dress gathering up around her thighs in the process. Carol kissed her until they were both breathless. Therese’s hands grasped desperately at her, indecisive and unable to find a secure hold. Carol’s mouth moved to Therese’s neck where she gently sucked at the tender skin.

“Oh my God,” Carol exclaimed, pulling back. “Your pulse is racing.” She looked at Therese’s face and saw her fear in her eyes. She pressed her hand over Therese’s heart.

Therese struggled to sit up, and Carol helped pull her up. “I’m sorry. I can’t catch my breath.”

“You’re shaking,” Carol said. 

“I don’t know what’s going on.” Therese gasped for breath. The fact her body was so out of her control caused her to panic even more.

“You’re hyperventilating. Take some slow, deep breaths,” Carol instructed. She sat next to Therese and held her hand.

Therese did as instructed, and they sat together until breathing came easier.

“Hang on,” Carol said. “I’ll get you some water.” When Carol returned with a bottle of water, Therese was sitting on the edge of Carol’s bed.

“I’m so sorry,” Therese said after drinking some water. “I really do want this. I don’t understand what’s happening.” Her hand clutched at her chest.

Carol rubbed Therese’s back. “There’s no pressure. Let’s make sure you’re fine. We don’t have to do this tonight.”

A single sob escaped Therese. “I want to be with you tonight.”

“You are with me,” Carol said, consolingly. “I’m not going anywhere. Whatever happens, you can stay here with me tonight.”

Carol studied Therese. She pressed her two fingertips to Therese’s neck and was pleased that her pulse was quick but no longer raced. She brushed back Therese’s hair and kissed her cheek.

Therese leaned against Carol’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I ruined everything.”

Carol tipped Therese’s face up to hers and gave her the faintest kiss. “You didn’t ruin anything.” She rose and blew out all the candles but one before returning to the bed. Instead of sitting down next to Therese, she laid down on the opposite of the bed on her side. “Lie down with me?” 

Therese shifted and laid down so that she was facing Carol. Her breathing had normalized, but Therese still had a bit of a deer-in-the-headlights look about her, and Carol noticed her hands still trembled.

“This is a bit new for me. I suppose I’m a bit more nervous than I thought I was,” Therese admitted. Carol ran her fingers through Therese’s hair before setting her hand on her waist.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” Carol said. “We could just talk about… rocks,” she suggested with a twinkle in her eye. 

Therese laughed.“No, I do not need to talk about rocks.” She grinned at Carol. “I love rocks as much as the next person, but…” 

“You love rocks  _ more _ than the next person,” Carol interjected.

“Yes, I suppose I do,” Therese admitted, but turned serious once again. “But I would much rather talk about how irresistible you look in this dress.” She reached out, her fingers tracing the skin around Carol’s neckline.

Carol’s breath hitched at Therese’s touch. Cool fingertips trailed over warm skin. 

“I wanted to touch you so badly that night in my tent,” Therese whispered. She tentatively laid her hand on Carol’s breast. Her eyes watched intently her hand as her thumb played over Carol’s taut nipple through the thin fabric of the dress. She liked how Carol’s breathing changed, short little breaths escaping her mouth.

“I knew if I had touched you or kissed you that night, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself,” Carol told her. “But I wasn’t ready. Not yet.” She gazed at Therese, green eyes meeting blue eyes, their faces only inches apart. If this was to go further, the ball was in Therese’s court. 

Therese traced Carol’s lower lip with her forefinger. “So soft,” she murmured. She raised her head and closed her eyes before letting her lips meet Carol’s.

Carol slipped the hand resting on Therese’s waist around her back and pulled her closer. Therese half rolled on top of Carol, the weight of her welcome, a small pleasure that Carol hadn’t realized she missed. She had been floating through life for more than two years, but Therese anchored her against the outgoing tide that threatened to sweep her away. Carol reached down and worked fabric up until her hand found Therese’s smooth thigh.

Therese’s tongue met Carol’s, and she tasted champagne. Kissing Carol was softer than anything she had ever experienced, and she felt like she could never get enough. Carol’s hand on Therese’s leg felt right. Her heart rate was accelerated, but that was to be expected with Carol touching her. With each stroke of Carol’s hand, Carol’s fingers or thumb found a new expanse of skin. The sensations ran up Therese’s spine and her brain sent specific messages deep between her legs. Her body reacted swiftly, priming her for what came next.

“You are so beautiful. I’ve had the image of you from that night seared into my mind,” Carol said softly, flipping them so that she was on top. “Is this okay?” she asked.

Therese nodded, eyes wide but welcoming.

Carol resumed their kiss and didn’t hold back this time. Her hand rode up under Therese’s dress, over her hip, and rested on her ribcage. Therese ran her hands over Carol’s back.

Carol sat up, straddling Therese. She pulled her dress over her head in one fluid motion. Therese’s hands immediately covered Carol's breasts. Carol gently rocked against Therese’s pelvis, loose blonde curls swinging over her right eye.

“You can take it off,” Carol gently encouraged. Her arousal was a professional racecar speeding along at breakneck speed, but Carol needed to be the pilot car setting the pace. Carol hadn’t been touched intimately in over two years by anyone but herself, but surprisingly, if it meant assuring that Therese felt comfortable, Carol would happily go as slow as a grandmother in a school zone. She just needed to maintain her focus and assure that Therese’s pleasure remained high and her anxiety levels stayed low. She would do almost anything for Therese.

“This is harder when it’s not your own,” Therese mumbled as her fingers worked the clasp at Carol’s back while her brows furrowed. 

“Got it?” Carol chuckled as they fumbled like teenagers. Her bra slipped down her arms, her question answered. The fabric of the discarded garment was quickly replaced with one of Therese’s hands and her warm mouth as she took Carol’s nipple into her mouth. Carol cradled Therese’s head and kissed her forehead. Therese’s mouth sent shockwaves through Carol as she rocked against her, Carol’s one remaining piece of clothing already drenched. Therese’s fingers teasing Carol’s other nipple forced Carol to extricate herself.

Carol stood and slid her underwear off. Therese’s eyes traveled over her body. Therese started to unbutton her dress, and Carol helped her pull it off. Their mouths meeting, she pressed Therese to the mattress once more. Carol turned her on her stomach without her lips ever leaving Therese’s skin. Carol undid her bra. Her hand slid around Therese to cup her breast as she licked and sucked the delicate skin of Therese’s neck. Therese gasped. 

Carol had thought about their first time more than once, and the beginning stages of their actual lovemaking lacked the frantic, tearing off of clothes she had always imagined it would entail. Instead, it possessed a steady tempo all its own, partly due to Carol’s desire to assure Therese’s comfort, but also because she wanted to savor every second of their first time together that could never be recreated.

Breathing heavily, Therese turned back over, searching for Carol’s mouth. Carol gently brushed the soft underside of Therese’s breast with the back of her fingers. 

“Are you okay?” Carol asked. Her blue eyes, usually bright and clear, were hazy and dark.

Therese smiled and nodded. "More than okay."

Carol pressed her pelvis tightly against Therese as she kissed her again. She broke their kiss to let her mouth trail down Therese’s neck and over her chest. She kissed the swell of Therese’s breast, soft yet firm. Carol took Therese’s hardened nipple with her mouth and softly kneaded the other between thumb and finger. Carol kept the pleasure building, alternating between kissing Therese and covering different parts of her body with her mouth, all while her hands kneaded and caressed until Therese writhed with pleasure and anticipation.

Therese ran her hands down Carol’s back, memorizing muscle and bone. Between breathy gasps, Therese gently pushed Carol’s shoulders downward and thought she saw Carol smile against her breast. Carol obediently slid further down Therese's body, her mouth leaving a wet trail. Therese felt Carol’s hand traveling lower and Carol raised herself and put her hand between them. Her hand caressed Therese’s center, her fingers finding damp fabric, and Therese moaned softly. Carol slipped her fingers under the waistband of Therese’s underwear, and together they got rid of them.

Maybe it had just been time that she needed, but Therese was ready for what came next. She bent her legs at the knees and Carol shifted between them. Therese rested a hand on the side of Carol’s head, fingers winding in blonde curls before tucking them behind Carol’s ear. Therese inhaled sharply when Carol’s fingers touched her, and Carol moaned. Therese spread her legs wider, wanting more. Her eyes fluttered closed when Carol tasted her, her tongue exploring, a pleasure meant for not just Therese but for Carol, too. 

When Carol eventually took her in her mouth and slid first one, then two fingers inside of her, Therese could hear the gasps, the breathy moans, the expletives, and the prayers her body cried out as if they emanated from someone else. This was indeed how it was supposed to feel, and she felt it all. Like Lake Missoula breaching the dam, the jumbled confluence of stimuli chaotically swept forward with tremendous force and speed taking everything in its path with it. She felt Carol’s fingers brushing, caressing, and stroking deep within her. She felt Carol’s mouth, warm and wet. She felt Carol’s arousal, slick and smooth on her leg. She felt Carol’s hand holding her own, their fingers interlaced. Most of all, she felt the patience, the understanding, and the love that ran like an undercurrent through their intensely intimate act.

It was so much to process, and Therese simultaneously wanted it to go on forever yet needed it to end so badly. Every muscle in her body tensed in anticipation as her heart and lungs worked overtime, desperately trying to reach the final destination. 

Carol raised her head and lovingly smiled at Therese. “You can let go now,” she said softly, squeezing Therese’s hand. She lowered her head once again. That was all Therese needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Calliesghost wanted some credit for taking the time to proofread this longer-than-normal chapter for me while she keeps her own readers waiting. She also said something about wanting credit for the 'research' necessary for this chapter because she thinks she's funny. (She is.)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> P.


	28. The Morning After

When Therese woke, Carol was almost finished putting on her uniform. She sat down on the side of the bed and rested her hand on Therese’s sheet-covered stomach.

“Good morning,” she said with a smile. 

“You should have woken me up,” Therese said, caressing Carol’s thigh. “I was hoping to return the favor.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to wake you. You looked so beautiful and peaceful.” Carol picked up her watch from the bedside stand and put it on. “Stay as long as you like. There’s coffee in the kitchen. I need to go soon.”

Therese hummed her approval at the plan. 

Carol leaned down and kissed her. “God, you make it hard to leave.” Reluctantly she stood up. “Will you go on a bike ride with me?” she asked as she expertly tied her tie and folded down her collar.

“That sounds nice,” Therese said, watching Carol pin her golden name badge above her shirt pocket to complete her uniform. “I haven’t used my bike as much as I would like.”

“The destination is just a short ride, but we can do a longer one another day,” Carol offered.

“You sound like you have something planned,” Therese said, rolling on her side and propping her head on her hand. “I might have plans for _you_ ,” she emphasized seductively.

“Mmm. I like the sound of that.” Carol said, wiggling her eyebrows. “I have more _plans_ for you, too, but I want to show you something first. We will still have plenty of time later for these _plans_.” She leaned over and kissed Therese, lingering closely after they pulled apart.

“Have I ever told you how good you make that uniform look?” Therese asked, admiring the woman before her. 

“If you don’t pull that sheet up, I’m going to be late for work,” Carol told her with stormy eyes.

Therese laughed and pulled the sheet over her exposed breasts.

Carol kissed her again. “Goodbye, Therese.” Her hand trailed over the sheeted woman as she left.

* * *

An hour later, Therese stepped into the sunshine, a smile on her face. Bright, happy music filled the air. She bounced down the three front steps, twirled around, ran back up and side-stepped down the steps again. She did a single buffalo tap step and saluted the fluffy white clouds. ( _Oh, what a beautiful morning_ )

She whistled and skipped down the asphalt lane, smiling and waving to a group of sunbathers. A small bird fluttered down from a nearby tree and alighted on her finger. Therese blew it a kiss, and it flew off into the clear blue sky. ( _Oh, what a beautiful day_ )

Therese took a shortcut across the grassy expanse. She high-stepped up the bench of a picnic table to the top, spun around twice with her arms high in the air, then stepped sprightly down on the other side. A rainbow-colored beach ball rolled across her path. She snatched it up, held it out in front of her, and kicked it high in the air back to a group of young children. The children cheered and happily waved their thanks. ( _I’ve got a beautiful feeling_ )

The mailman drove past her in his small truck. He smiled and tipped his cap to greet her. Therese returned his smile, curtsied and waved, and resumed merrily skipping along. As the song faded and Therese disappeared down the lane, she clicked her heels once to the left and once to the right. ( _Everything’s going my way!_ )

A passing cyclist broke Therese’s reverie.

Her morning didn’t exactly start with a full orchestra and choreographed dance moves, but it might as well have. She rode her euphoric feeling all the way back to her tent with an indestructible smile on her face as she remembered her night with Carol. 

* * *

Carol rolled up to Therese’s campsite on the most hideous bright yellow and black striped bicycle. She came to a stop alongside Therese. 

Therese couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you steal that from a construction zone?” 

“Hush,” Carol told her, dismounting. “I want the idiots driving on these roads to be able to see me.”

“Oh, they will definitely see you,” Therese said. “It’s like an optical illusion. I think I’m getting dizzy,” she joked.

Carol rolled her eyes and tried to hold back a smile. 

“I have to take this piece of amazing machinery for a spin,” Therese said, taking the handlebars from her grasp. “Every little bulldozer-loving toddler in this campground is going to wish he was me,” Therese quipped, pedaling off.

This time Carol laughed out loud as she watched Therese pedal to the end of the row and make a wide turn. She secretly loved it when Therese teased her. Therese coasted back toward Carol and circled around her twice before Carol tried to grab the bike back from her. 

“I’m a bumblebee!” Therese exclaimed. 

Carol laughed. “Now you’re making _me_ dizzy.” Therese slowed to a stop. Carol cupped her face with both hands and kissed her. “It’s a good thing I find you amusing,” she said. Therese grinned, and Carol released her. “Grab your bike. I want to show you something.”

“Okay.” Therese gave Carol her bike back and unlocked her own bike from her picnic table. “Do I need anything?”

Carol shook her head. “Follow me.” She pushed off, one foot on her left pedal. She swung her other leg over the seat and pedaled away. Therese followed her.

They biked northward into the park as the sun dipped below the rim of the canyon, cars and cyclists passing them going the opposite direction on their way out of the park. The last sliver of sunlight split the steel-colored clouds and glinted off the top of Umatilla Rock.

“Slow down,” Carol called over her shoulder, her left arm extended out. “We’re stopping here.” She braked and jumped off her bike. Crossing the dashed yellow line, she and Therese walked their bikes over to a Volkswagen-sized rock about 40 feet from the road. Carol leaned her bike against the boulder and motioned for Therese to do the same. 

“Are we just leaving them here?” Therese asked, looking around. 

“Yes,” Carol said. “Can you lock them together? I’m sure they’ll be fine, but if something happens to them, I’ll replace your bike.”

Therese bent down and unwound the lock beneath her seat. She passed it through tires and frames and spun the combination closed.

“C’mon,” Carol said, taking her hand. “We need to walk a bit.” 

“Then why did we leave the bikes?” Therese asked.

“They’re too visible. Especially mine,” Carol said.

“We have to be covert?” Therese asked, confused.

Carol stopped and turned to face Therese, still holding her hand. “When we were on top of the small island, you asked me how you would ever know if I really trusted you. This is me showing you that I trust you. I haven’t shown anyone else what I’m about to show you.”

Therese raised her eyebrows, eyes wide, and nodded.

Carol continued. “I need you to do what I say, and I need you to promise me that you will not show anyone what I am about to show you. I know I am asking you to give your word without giving you much information, but I need this, Therese.”

Therese solemnly nodded. “I do. I promise.”

Carol smiled at her and gently touched her cheek. “Thank you.”

They walked another five minutes into the park. Carol thought about the night before and familiar feelings washed over her once again. Last night Therese had wanted to continue their lovemaking, but the hour was late. The truth of the matter was, Carol didn’t need more. Yes, she had obviously been turned on, but seeing Therese beneath her, lost in pleasure, in her bed, at her doing, was all she really needed. Her need to love at that moment in time outweighed her need to be loved. So Carol pulled her close, kissed the top of her head, and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. After giving multiple assurances to Therese they would pick back up again where they left off, they drifted off to sleep pressed against each other.

Now almost 24 hours later, Carol was growing impatient, but what she had to do was more important, and her needs could wait a few hours more. After all, she had waited this long. 

Carol had admittedly reacted harshly when she found out about Therese’s boyfriend, and her carefully-crafted sense of trust in Therese had folded like a house of cards. The gift of time - and therapy - had allowed Carol to be more introspective and thoughtful about the matter, using her head over her heart, and she had realized that she did indeed trust Therese, perhaps more than she had ever trusted anyone before. Therese possessed a sincereness, a goodness of heart, and she obviously had feelings for Carol that Carol entirely reciprocated. So under the ashen sky, on this mid-summer July evening, Carol would give her a gift. 

Therese was admiring the darkening dusky-purple clouds in the distance when Carol spoke. 

“Do you know what geocaching is?” Carol inquired.

“Sure,” Therese responded. “I can’t say that I’ve ever done it though.”

“Well, about four years ago, I started doing a bit of geocaching to entertain myself, especially in the off-season. I was looking for a geocache I had read about online that was supposed to be right about here.” Carol stopped. What stood before them could only be described as a large pile of rocks. Huge basalt pillars of different shapes and sizes had slumped against each other and had been partially buried under untold years of water-deposited soil. Where wind, water, and wildlife had carried dirt and seed between the rocks, sagebrush and other local vegetation had sprung up. “I eventually found the cache under that rock,” Carol said as she pointed to a horizontal basalt pillar off to their right approximately the size of a kitchen table. “However, I initially thought it was over here.” Carol pointed to their left where much larger pillars and boulders, their edges rounded, slumped against one another. 

“Okay,” Therese said, unsure of where the conversation was headed.

“I’m going to show you where I had been looking,” Carol said. She turned and looked directly at Therese. Her blue eyes shone with excitement. “And what I found.”

They climbed over the first couple of boulders on the eastern edge of the conglomeration. The larger pillars and rocks blocked their view of the interpretive center and the western edge of the canyon. Where two large pillars came together in a V-shape, Carol sat against one pillar and planted her feet against the other. Doing a makeshift crab-walk, she was able to move further into the crevice. Therese followed her, using the same method.

“I was right about here, and I wanted to get up there,” Carol said, pointing at a little crevice at the top of the tallest rock. “I was sure it was up there. It was in the high 90s that day, and I stopped here to rest and drink some water. That’s when I noticed a cool breeze on the underside of my legs.” Carol continued to scoot into the crevice. As she reached the back of the space, she carefully dropped down in front of a large sagebrush. Therese could still see her head. “The cool air was coming from this bush,” Carol said. 

Therese came closer, inch by inch. Carol held out her hand and helped her to step into the tiny space. Nearly standing chest to chest with each other, Therese had no idea what was happening, but she did feel a cool breeze on her calves. 

“Look,” Carol instructed, using both hands to pull the large sagebrush to the side as best as she could. Behind the brush was a dark hole between the rocks, slightly larger than the mouth of a kitchen garbage can. As best as Therese could tell, the hole extended both backward and downward from where they stood, a rocky chute heading somewhere she couldn’t wait to see. 

Therese’s mouth hung open. Carol released the brush and it sprang back into place, obscuring the hole. 

“Are you up for it?” Carol asked. “I can hold the sagebrush back for you. Just slide yourself in and wait for me. There’s a horizontal pillar that extends for a few feet before it drops off. You can take this.” She pulled a small Maglite from her pocket.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Therese stated. She had yet to move. 

“Are you saying that in a good way or a bad way?” Carol inquired, suddenly afraid she had made the wrong decision.

“In a very good way!” Therese exclaimed. “You found a secret cave, Carol?!

Carol laughed. “Let’s get inside before someone spots us. I always try to come at twilight to hide my activity.”

“The park doesn’t know about this? Your colleagues?” Therese asked, kneeling down in front of the brush. Carol grabbed it again and pulled it to the side, the crushed leaves’ spicy, bitter smell surrounding them. Therese put her feet into the hole and slid forward a few inches at a time. She took the Maglite from Carol’s hand.

“Not that I know of,” Carol said. Therese’s head disappeared from view, and with one arm holding the sagebrush back, Carol followed her and entered the cave as she had done so many times before. The brush snapped back into position behind her.

Once Carol slid herself a few feet inside, she noticed Therese had moved aside to make room for her. They sat side by side on the basalt bench.

“I left a small guestbook on my second visit, but to date, there is only one name in it. Mine.”

“Not even your girlfriend’s?” Therese asked. She had turned on the flashlight and shined its beam in front of them, its attempt to cut through the blackness meager at best. The air inside the cave was indeed cooler, and the smell of sagebrush was replaced by the organic, slightly musty scent of the interior of the cave. 

Carol contemplated her answer and spoke quietly. “No, I never told Gen about it. It never felt right for some reason. I used to come here when I wanted to be alone or when I was sad. I’ve spent a good deal of time here in the last few years.”

Therese reached out and took her hand. Carol squeezed it tightly and then let go. 

“Hang on a second,” Carol said. She swung her legs over the edge of the pillar and dropped to the floor of the cave. Therese followed her with the flashlight’s beam, but Carol didn’t need it. She could make her way around the cave blindfolded. 

Therese heard the scratch and hiss of a wooden match being lit. Carol carried a long taper, and soon one votive after another began to glow along the cave’s walls, the flames illuminating wax that had sagged and dripped when warm. This was not the first time these candles had been lit. Therese’s eyes began to adjust. Smiling, she too dropped down to the cave’s floor. Her flashlight’s beam found a small bound book with a capped pen resting diagonally on top, a box of Kleenex tissue, and a small box of wooden matches at the base of one wall. 

She quickly turned her attention to the geological aspects of the cave. Almost identical to the Lake Lenore Caves, this cave was longer than wide and about half as long as a school bus. They had entered near one end. Therese reached up, running her fingertips over the sharply-angled rocks comprising the walls and ceiling. The ground was less angular. At some point, water had deposited soil into the cave, creating an even, albeit dusty surface for them to stand on even though it was still strewn with occasional rocks.

“You’re smiling,” Carol said. She had been watching Therese explore, her flashlight-free hand never resting, always touching and assessing the rock face.

Therese met her eyes and came toward her. “I'm smiling because I'm happy.” She pulled Carol against her before leaning back. “Thank you for trusting me.” The candlelight danced across her cheekbones.

“I needed you to know,” Carol said somberly. Therese’s fingers pressed against the nape of Carol’s neck and Therese expressed her gratitude with her kiss, tantalizing Carol with each sweep of her tongue. It was inviting and ravishing, reminding Carol what was to come tonight, as soon as they finished exploring the cave. Therese switched off her light and shoved it into her pocket. She now had both hands on Carol, and Carol felt herself losing control. With restraint she was unaware she possessed, she pressed her forehead to Therese’s.

“Wait,” she said huskily. 

“What’s wrong?” Therese asked, her hands resting on either side of Carol’s neck. A sharp clap of thunder echoed in the cave, the sound coming from near the entrance. Carol jumped.

“I want to show you one more thing before we get out of here, and we better do so soon. I thought the rain wasn’t supposed to start until around midnight.” Carol pulled her by the hand toward the far end of the cave. “Come here.”


	29. The Tent

Therese turned on her flashlight and followed Carol. The end of the cave tapered down until the ceiling met the floor. An outcrop of rock jutted out just above Carol’s head. Carol stood on tiptoes and aimed her flashlight’s beam into the crevice atop the rock shelf. She reached up and carefully pulled something out.

“You better not pull out a spider or snake,” Therese warned her. 

“It’s inanimate,” Carol said with a laugh. “Here.” She placed a small woven basket no bigger than half a grapefruit into Therese’s palm. Someone had woven the delicate basket with two types of thin reeds, their light and dark brown colors creating concentric stripes. No spaces existed between the fibers. Carol believed it could probably hold water. It was a work of art.

“Am I holding what I think I’m holding?” Therese asked incredulously. “Is this Native American?” Her fingertip gently ran around the rim of the basket and along its sides.

“I think so,” Carol said. “They found artifacts in the other caves. The basket was either hidden or put up on that ledge for safekeeping.” She watched as Therese carefully picked up the tiny contents of the basket. “Do you know what those are?”

Therese looked at the cream-colored items. There were three of them. They were rough-hewn and shaped like a checkmark. “Are they fishhooks?”

“That was my guess,” Carol said, picking one up and examining it for a few seconds. “I think they are bone or maybe shell.”

“I’d guess antler or bone. I think it’s too porous to be shell,” Therese said, feeling one between her thumb and forefinger. She grinned at Carol as she carefully placed it back in the basket. “I wonder how long ago the last person touched this before you found it.”

Carol shrugged. “With your knowledge, you could probably make an educated guess before I could. A long time ago, that much is certain.” Carol accepted the basket from Therese and returned it to its hiding place. “You should sign the guestbook before we leave.” A roll of thunder punctuated her sentence, the noise louder and more intense than the first time. They made their way to the entrance, and Carol picked up the book and pen. She opened to the first page and handed both items to Therese. 

Therese held her flashlight in her teeth as she carefully signed her name and date below Carol’s entry more than four years prior. Carol made a circuit of the cave, blowing out candles as she went. 

“Will you bring me back here again?” Therese asked.

“Whenever you want,” came the answer from the darkness, a hand reaching out to hold hers. 

They exited the cave sans flashlights so as not to draw attention. Carol made sure the sagebrush adequately covered the entrance behind them. 

Rumbling thunder, sheet lightning, and a vicious wind accompanied them on their brisk walk back to where they had left the bikes. By the time Therese unlocked the bicycles from each other, larger droplets pelted them from above as their hair whipped and stung their faces.

Before Therese could pull their bikes apart, Carol pulled Therese to her and kissed her as if the world was ending. “Your tent,” she said passionately, the phrase neither a question nor a statement but more of a plea. Her eyes glinted, a dark steel gray against her pale skin, her voice an octave lower than usual. Raindrops soaked and trailed along the blonde strands of hair plastered to her forehead before they ran down her face or were whisked off by the wind. “It’s the closest.” 

Therese could see the desire in Carol’s eyes and hear it in her voice. “Yes.” They sped to the campground holding the flashlights against their handlebars, the slate sky above starless, moonless, rumbling, and prognosticatory. The shrill, hollow sound of the wind through the canyon raced them.

They dropped bicycles on the ground near the picnic table without a second thought. Therese hurriedly pulled her rainfly out of the mesh pocket inside her tent, and together then anchored it to the stakes, winning the match against the whipping wind. Kicking off muddy shoes, they climbed inside, a sexually-charged respite from the stormy happenings outside of the tent.

* * *

In the darkness, they tore off wet clothing, not caring whose body from which it came. The large drops pelted the tent with the sound of a hundred Trojan arrows bombarding Achilles’ shield. Rolls of thunder grew and boomed while lightning intermittently lit up the night sky and the tent below it. Heavy gusts from the north pushed one side of the nylon inward, only encouraging the two women inside to cling more closely together. 

The wind, she howled. Her roar, heard throughout the canyon, had such an apocalyptic element to it that it sent chills through even the bravest. The heavenly clamor sent animals scurrying and caused the youngest children in the campground to cry. All these happenings outside of the tent escaped the notice of Carol and Therese.

Therese shifted on top of Carol, the weight of the two of them pressing Carol’s lower back and pelvis through the extra-thick air mattress into the ground. 

Strangely Carol had often thought of herself as a husk, so fragile that her shell would disintegrate in the wind like an insect’s molted carcass. The events of the last two years of her life had left her as empty as a honeycomb, her wax cappings scraped off by life’s cruel beekeeper. Her very essence, her self-confidence, her sense of self, her ability to trust, and her ability to love had oozed and drained with every tear she shed until nothing remained except the stickiest remnants clinging to paper-thin walls, a reminder of her once-full existence. 

Yet when Carol was with Therese, Therese filled her. Therese held her together. Therese, her anchor, her well, and her stores. She made Carol feel whole again. She made Carol unafraid. With Therese, Carol felt loved. With Therese, Carol loved again.

Even in the darkness, Carol understood that she stood in Therese’s spotlight, bathed in the light that Therese shined only for her. Carol was her sole focus, and nothing else existed. Therese used her delicate hands on Carol’s damp body just as she had on the sides of the caves, her fingertips brushing over Carol’s skin as if trying to memorize every contour, her lips and tongue worshiping every dip and curve.

“Yes, yes.” Carol’s gasped whispers filled the tent over and over.

What sense of timing and control Carol had somehow managed the night before evaporated in Therese’s tent. Carol was unprepared for Therese’s eagerness and enthusiasm. Therese went about her beloved task with fervor, the actions of her inexperienced fingers and tongue wonderfully chaotic and erratic, quickly causing Carol to hurl out of control. It was messy and unexpected. They assaulted the air mattress beneath them, their bodies desperately maneuvering against each other. They clashed together like tectonic plates, two powerful forces of nature grinding against one another. Just as the earth’s crust moves and shifts, they each came away with a little of the other, creating one from two in an earth-shattering fashion that left Carol calling out against the wild wind. 

* * *

Janice Peterson of Walla Walla, Washington, tried to hand wash a stain out of the flowered tablecloth from her family’s picnic table where her two tow-headed sons nibbled strawberries until she made pancakes for them. The wind had pulled the tablecloth completely off, wrapping it around the base of a nearby tree and dragging it through the dirt. Janice Peterson remembered that she still had a carefully-clipped 20% off coupon in her purse that didn’t expire for another week, but she doubted Bed, Bath & Beyond would still have the same tablecloth in stock, and it had taken her two years to find just the perfect one. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” She cursed the dirt stains on the yellow sunflower background and then silently said a Hail Mary. She was tired and irritable, the wind keeping all four members of their family awake in their brand new tent from Walmart for most of the night.

“It could have been a coyote,” Rusty Peterson said from nearby where he picked up piece after piece of his family’s clothing off the ground. The swim shorts, towels, and t-shirts that had been drying on the clothesline before they went to bed were now strewn around both their campsite and the neighbors’. “They have coyotes around here. I read that at the visitor’s center.”

“It wasn’t a coyote,” Janice answered without even looking up from her task.

“Well, it was something,” Rusty Peterson said, shaking his head as he hung his youngest son’s yellow Pikachu towel over the clothesline again. “Sent chills down my back.”

“I want pancakes,” Cody Peterson said, his three-year-old face covered with red berry stains. 

“We can’t have pancakes until we have a clean tablecloth to eat them on. Do you want to eat off a dirty table?” Janice asked rhetorically. The two strawberry-chewing brothers looked at each other with wide eyes that suggested their answer was yes.

Five-year-old Jasper Peterson piped up. “Maybe it was a deer. I saw lots of deer on the golf course.”

“Deer don’t make noise,” his mother told him.

“Do you think there are wolves around here?” Rusty Peterson asked his wife.

Cody Peterson started to cry. “I don’t like wolves.”

“Don’t be a baby,” Rusty Peterson told his son.

“Did you see anything about wolves at the visitor’s center?” his wife chastised her husband. “There are no wolves here,” Janice Peterson irritably said to her youngest son. “Here. Eat another strawberry,” she said, tossing it toward him onto the dirty table.

“I think it was an owl,” Jasper Peterson stated, guessing again.

“No, what’s an owl say?” his mother asked her soon-to-be-kindergartener. She shook her head. Maybe she and Rusty should have waited to put him into school for another year. Little Cody Peterson quit crying and started making owlish sounds.

“Honey, do you want me to put this in the minivan?” Rusty Peterson asked, holding up his oldest son’s Finding Nemo life vest. 

“I don’t care,” Janice Peterson answered irritably. “I can’t believe the noise and mess that stupid wind made last night. We’re never camping here again.”

“Too loud!” Cody Peterson agreed with his mother. “I didn’t like it when that woman was screaming. I went like this.” He put his hands over his ears, but no saw him. He turned his attention to his older brother’s final strawberry, larger than the one he had in his small fist. While his brother was distracted trying to figure out why his parents had stopped what they were doing to stare at each other, little Cody Peterson switched the strawberries.

“Could it have…?” Rusty Peterson asked, raising his eyebrows and causing the extra flesh of his forehead to carve into three separate sections. “Come to think about it - it did kind of sound like…”

“The wail of a woman.” Janice Peterson quietly finished his sentence. In unison, the couple looked to the campsite next to theirs where a single tent stood against the cliff’s talus slope. Two bicycles laid discarded on the ground. They hadn’t seen anyone around the neighboring campsite since they had gotten up. “Hmmph.” Janice Peterson snorted. “This campground is no place to take children.”

Eavesdropping from inside the tent, Carol playfully cupped her hand over Therese’s mouth to stifle the giggles coming from the naked woman beneath her. They would need to find something to do until the Peterson family finished breakfast and headed to the lake because Carol wasn’t about to show her face after the conversation that had just happened. Flipping the both of them, Therese quickly found something with which they could occupy themselves. Carol would simply have to be quiet this time.

  
  



	30. The Revelation

Carol turned the gasoline mower 180 degrees and saw the end in sight. She had one more strip of grass against the roadway in front of her house to mow. Halfway to the end, a State Park truck illegally pulled up next to her on the wrong side of the road. She looked up and her stomach sank to see Harge Aird rolling down his window. 

“Hey there, gorgeous,” he called to her. Carol cut the lawnmower’s motor, already annoyed by having to stop when she was so close to finishing, not to mention her unadulterated distaste for Harge that continued to smolder after learning about his affair with Genevieve. Living within the park took its toll on her work/life balance. 

“What’s up?” she asked cooly, one hand still on the mower’s handle, one hand on her hip. Carol found it difficult to get some distance from her co-workers on her off days without having to leave her home and the park. With colleagues she was friendly with, it wasn’t a problem. With Harge, it was.

“You were out late the other night,” Harge said, winking at her as if they shared a secret. “I wondered what you were up to.”

“What do you mean?” Carol scowled at him, certainly not in the mood to have a conversation with him, now or any other time.

“I saw your bike,” he said, “up in the park. I looked around for you and your bike buddy, but you were nowhere to be seen.”

Carol’s scowl deepened, but either Harge missed it or her sunglasses hid it. “How do you know what my bike looks like?”

Harge laughed. “It’s quite an unusual bike. I think I’d remember.”

“What I mean is, I haven’t ridden my bike in almost four years. It’s been in storage. And you’ve worked here what - roughly three years? I’m not certain how you would have seen it.” Carol studied him carefully as confusion started to creep into his expression. 

“Oh, uh, you showed me your spare room that one time, and that’s when I saw it,” Harge quickly replied and shifted nervously in his seat.

“I see,” Carol said carefully after a pause, not moving an inch as she considered what she wanted to do.

Therese burst out Carol’s front door holding a glass garnished with a lemon wedge and tinkling with ice cubes. “I brought you a lemonade. It’s 90 degrees. Are you finished?” The screen door swung and banged shut behind her. When she saw the truck, she slowed but continued to walk toward Carol as she made eye contact with Harge, who looked away.

“I didn’t realize you had company,” he said to Carol. He quickly picked up his cell phone that had not made a sound from the dashboard and glanced at the screen. “I need to go take care of this,” he said abruptly before he put on sunglasses with his left hand and crossed the oncoming lane with his right.

Carol took the glass from Therese. “Thank you. I didn’t know I had lemonade.” Carol drank thirstily. She watched Harge’s truck recede from view.

Therese shrugged. “You didn’t, but you had lemons and sugar.” She also looked down the road where Harge’s truck could be seen driving toward Blue Lake. “What did he want?”

Carol sighed. “You actually won’t believe what just happened.” She offered some of the lemonade to Therese, but Therese shook her head. “He made a comment about seeing my bike in the park the other night.”

“Are you not allowed to bike in the park that late?” Therese asked, afraid she and Carol had broken a park rule.

“That’s not the interesting part. Harge has never seen my bike before, yet somehow he recognized it. I know exactly the last time I rode it because I hit a rock and went over the handlebars. I fractured my wrist and would have had a concussion or worse had I not been wearing a helmet. That was four years ago. I’ve been gun-shy of riding it ever since.”

“Could he possibly have seen it back then and remembered? You have to admit, it is…” Therese giggled and searched for a word. “Unique.”

“Harge didn’t work here four years ago. When I told him it had been in storage - which means I keep it in the spare bedroom that used to be Gen’s old room long ago - he told me that I had shown him the room once. Basically all that’s in there is Gen’s old bed, the bikes, and some luggage. I rarely ever go in there for anything. Therese, I promise you that I recall every instance Harge Aird has been in my house for any reason, and I have never shown him that room or even opened it in front of him.” She watched Therese absorb and process the information.

“Gen,” she said sadly.

“Yes,” Carol said. She stared at the ice cubes in the bottom of her glass. “In my own fucking home,” she muttered.

“What did you say to him?” Therese asked, gently touching her arm before taking the empty glass from Carol.

“I didn’t really have a chance,” Carol said regretfully. “He saw you and drove off.”

“He tends to avoid me,” Therese said. “I’m sure he realizes he said too much to me that first day, and it probably never occurred to him that we might become friends.” Something in the air changed as if a high-pressure system blew out and a less oppressive system took its place.

“Friends?” Carol inquired, raising one blonde eyebrow above the frames of her sunglasses. 

Therese blushed. “I mean…”

Carol leaned close, cocked her head to one side, and asked in her sultry voice, “Do you do those things with all your friends?” She grinned from ear to ear and pulled the cord to start the lawnmower’s motor once again.

* * *

Carol easily found parking at the steakhouse, the restaurant not nearly as busy on a Thursday night as it usually was on Friday or Saturday. The host, a young woman Carol thought probably hadn’t yet started high school showed her to the table where Abby was waiting for her. As Carol slipped into the wooden booth, she noticed that Abby already had one empty martini glass and had started on her second. 

“Did you find the shoes you were looking for?” Carol asked.

“No,” Abby said, motioning for their server to come over. “I went to two stores and gave up.”

“I’ll have what she’s having,” Carol said without opening the drink menu. 

“Want some appetizers?” the young man asked, his electric blue faux hawk, black nail polish, and uninterested attitude giving the appearance that he would rather be working anywhere besides a steakhouse.

“We haven’t looked at the menu yet,” Abby said.

“I’ll come back,” he said. 

Abby rolled her eyes at Carol as he left. “I can’t imagine he makes much in tips.”

Carol unrolled her silverware and placed her napkin on her lap. 

Abby stirred her martini with the olive and toothpick before she sipped. “So, you said you wanted to talk about something. It must be something serious to actually pick a time and place to do it.”

“Do you mind if I get my martini first?” Carol asked. She knew that bar drinks took time to make, and it bought her a few minutes to compose her thoughts and delay the inevitable. She picked up a menu. “Shall we look at our appetizer choices?”

Abby didn’t budge, but continued to stir and sip her cocktail. “Pick two that you like, and I’ll make the final choice.”

Carol studied the menu for a minute. “Spinach artichoke dip or shrimp cocktail.” She closed the menu.

“Ugh,” Abby said, making a face. “Maybe I better take a look.” She reached for a menu, and then changed her mind. “No, never mind. The spinach artichoke dip is fine. I’ll consider it my serving of vegetables.”

“Why did you tell me to pick two if you’re going to complain?” Carol asked.

“I don’t know. I just assumed you would choose something I liked,” Abby said.

Poor Theodore took this as his chosen moment to interrupt them again, bringing Carol’s drink. Abby quickly ordered their appetizer.

“What do you want for your meal?” he asked. Carol noticed his crooked name tag said Theodore.

“We haven’t gotten that far yet,” Abby said, smoothly switching into bitch mode. “We’re not in a rush and from the looks of it, Theo, you don’t need to turn our table, so why don’t you come back for our order when we’re finished with our appetizer?” She smiled sweetly at him.

Theodore mumbled something about the kitchen just making fresh chips as he retreated with his tail between his legs.

“Is that really necessary?” Carol chided her. “He’s just doing his job.”

“Not very well, he isn’t,” Abby retorted. “Now, besides delicious, warm, nearly-raw slabs of beef, why are we here?”

“I need to tell you something,” Carol said. She took a sip of her drink for courage. “You’re not going to be happy about it, but you need to hear me out and try to understand.”

“Is it about Therese?” Abby asked derisively.

“No,” Carol scowled. “Can you let that go for a minute?” She took a deep breath and smoothed the napkin in her lap. “This precedes Therese.” 

“What is it?” Abby inquired. “You know I can’t handle the suspense.”

Carol sighed and eyed a deep ridge in the surface of the wooden table where years of grime had accumulated. “The last few years have been hard on me.”

“I know,” Abby said, reaching out for Carol’s hand. “They would have been difficult for anyone. Grief is a terrible thing to have to go through.” She gave Carol’s hand a squeeze and let go.

“That’s the thing,” Carol said. “I haven’t been honest with you.” She laughed sardonically. “I haven’t been honest with anyone.”

“God, Carol. What’s going on?” Abby pushed her martini aside and leaned forward.

“The chips are hot and fresh,” Theodore interrupted Carol’s story with their appetizer. Apparently he had received Abby’s message because he departed quickly, the appetizer sliding to a stop in the middle of the table.

“Abby, while you thought I was grieving, I wasn’t just grieving.”

Both women ignored the bubbling dish sitting between them.

“What the hell are you trying to say, Carol?” Abby asked, confused.

“Well, yes, I was grieving, but I was also so angry,” Carol admitted, her watery blue eyes threatening to spill over. “Everything was so confusing. There were so many people around who loved Gen, and I didn’t know what to do.”

Theodore approached their table and started to ask if the appetizer was satisfactory, but Abby put a palm up. “No!” He did an about-face and slunk away.

Carol continued and this time the tears fell. “Two weeks before Gen died, I found out she was cheating on me.”

Abby sat stunned. “What? Gen? I can’t believe Gen would cheat on you. How do you know this?”

“I found her burner phone and saw a text.”

Food and drinks remained untouched.

“Who sent it?” Abby asked.

Carol shook her head. “It was a number I didn’t recognize.”

“Did you call the number?” Abby asked sitting back against the booth’s seat. 

“No, I was in shock. It didn’t occur to me. I just put it back in her pants pocket. I tried to get past my denial to a place where I could actually confront her, and then the fire happened. I was so angry, Abby, so mixed up and angry. I was angry at Gen, I was angry at whomever she was sleeping with, I was angry that she was taken from me, I was angry with God, I was angry that my entire life had been flipped upside down, I was angry with everything.” Carol stopped and finally made eye contact with Abby.

“So you never talked to her about it or found out who the other person was?” Abby asked, reaching for her martini. She stirred the drink but didn’t take a sip, as if actually drinking it would be offensive at that moment.

“No, we never talked. I just recently found out who sent the message.”

“How?” Abby leaned forward attentively, her chin nearly touching the lip of her glass. She caught something out of the corner of her eye and sat up. “Theo! I swear to God if you come over here right now…”

Carol turned to see the young server standing like a deer in the headlights. 

“It’s just… uh… if there’s something wrong with your food, I can tell my manager,” he stuttered before anxiously tugging at a corner of his black apron.

“The food is fine.” Abby scooped up some dip with a chip and shoved it in her mouth. “See?” She exaggerated her chewing. “We’re talking. Scram.” She waved him away with her hand.

Wide-eyed and nodding, he backed away.

“Damnit, that shit is hot,” Abby cursed, reaching for her glass of ice water. Carol sat staring at her fingers splayed on the wooden tabletop. Abby waved a hand in front of her. “Go on, for goodness sake, please.”

Carol nodded. “The day Therese arrived, she had a conversation with Harge. He told her that he had been dating Gen,” Carol said sadly.

“Harge? That’s what you’re going on? Therese’s word?” Abby scoffed. “Maybe he was just talking out of his ass trying to impress her or somehow trying to win her sympathy.”

“No,” Carol said, shaking her head. “I believe her.” She looked directly at Abby. “Therese and I went on a bike ride the other evening. We left our bikes near the roadside. Harge mentioned seeing my bike a few days later.”

“Well, it’s not hard to spot,” Abby said jokingly but became serious again. “I don’t get it. You’re riding again? You haven’t ridden in ages. Have you even taken your bike out of storage since you broke your wrist?”

“Exactly,” Carol said. “I broke my wrist before Harge came to work for the park. I hadn’t been on my bike since, until Therese and I went out for a ride.”

“But he knew what it looked like,” Abby filled in. 

“Yes,” Carol confirmed. “You know how I feel about my storage room. I hate having that door open. I don’t even like going in there. Nothing I really need is in there, and it just brings up bad memories. When I questioned it, he said I took him in there once, and I’m absolutely positive I never did, so it must have been Gen.”

“Maybe she took him in there for something legitimate,” Abby posited.

“Then why would he lie about it?” Carol asked. “I’m sure she only took him in there because there’s a goddamn spare bed.”

“What an asshole. Both of them, grade-A assholes.” Abby ate her olive and tossed the toothpick on the table. “I’m so sorry, Carol. I can’t believe you’ve been carrying this around all by yourself. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

Carol finally pulled a small plate in front of her and took some dip and chips. “It’s taken me a lot of therapy to get to this point, Abs. It’s hard to see yourself as a good person when you wish a person dead and suddenly--they are.”

“Cheating… I still can’t believe it.” Abby shook her head and took the other small plate. “I never got the inclination that anything was wrong between you and Gen.”

“You and me both,” Carol said dryly. “Do you want to know the worst part? Harge tried to buddy up to me after Gen died. I always felt like he wanted in on my grief or something. It was so strange. Months later, he actually asked me out a few times, so I just assumed that’s why he was trying to be chummy. In a strange way, I think he felt like we had a connection because we were both grieving Gen. He obviously had no idea that I knew she was having an affair. No one did.” Carol reached for the salt shaker and salted her chips.

“Unbelievable. Well, you knew he had a reputation for not being able to keep his pants zipped,” Abby said drolly. “You’re a very good actress. Throughout the memorial and funeral and all that, I never would have known. You seemed unusually stoic, but that’s the way some people grieve, so I didn’t think much about it.” 

“I was seething inside,” Carol said, her eyes glazed over as she visited some far-off place in her mind.

“I think you should confront him.” 

Carol shook her head. “No, at least not yet.”

“Does Therese know all this?” 

“Yes.” Carol made eye contact with Abby once again.

“She knew before I did, so that must mean you’re sleeping together,” Abby stated.

“That’s really none of your business,” Carol said cooly.

“That’s a yes if I ever heard one.” Abby raised her eyebrows for effect.

Carol pushed her plate aside and looked at her best friend. “I need you to be supportive of me. If you can’t be supportive, then I just don’t know how I can share things with you.” She took a drink of her martini, already warmer than she preferred.

“Well, obviously you can’t. You’ve been keeping a huge secret from me for more than two years.” Abby stared at her.

“It wasn’t necessarily  _ you  _ that I didn’t tell,” Carol retorted. “I didn’t tell anyone. For all I knew, you could have been the one sleeping with Gen.” Carol heard the sentence exit her mouth and immediately regretted it. “I didn’t mean that.” She reached her hand across the table, but Abby pulled hers away.

“Wow. I thought you knew me better than that.” 

“I didn’t really mean it,” Carol repeated. 

Abby picked up her glass and finished her drink. “I  _ would _ support you if I thought you were making the right decision.”

“I don’t know what you possibly have against Therese. I’ve always found these conversations about whom I’m dating to be difficult with you,” Carol said frankly, leaving mountains unsaid between them. She opened her handbag on the seat beside her. “I’m not really hungry anymore. This should cover the bill and tip. Please tip him. You were rude.” Carol laid down four crisp twenties on the table.

Abby sadly watched the woman she was in love with walk out of the restaurant.


	31. The Swing

Carol left Abby at the steakhouse and drove back to the park as the long rays of the sun slipped below the horizon, and her residual anger slipped away, too. Her thoughts quickly turned from Abby to Therese, and it was difficult to stay angry when her favorite geologist occupied her mind.

The alone time on the drive back from Moses Lake afforded Carol some time to think. It occurred to her that there was a difference between feeling alone and feeling incomplete. Carol did not usually mind being alone. In fact, she rather enjoyed it. On the other hand, for a very long time, Carol had felt incomplete. However, even when she was not physically with Therese, Therese made Carol feel whole. The simple thought made Carol smile. She wondered if Therese felt the same.

Her mind took an unwanted hairpin turn back to Abby. It annoyed Carol that Abby couldn’t begin to understand her feelings for Therese. She realized that, in all likelihood, Abby did understand her feelings for Therese, but she did not want to give them credence. After years of unhappiness, Carol found herself happier than she could ever recall being, but she was saddened that she couldn’t share that momentous occurrence with her best friend. Instead of being pleased that Carol had found someone and being supportive of her relationship, Abby was increasingly jealous and possessive. Frankly, Carol was tired of it.

She knew she needed to have a long-overdue, serious conversation with Abby. Carol didn’t want to hurt her best friend, but she was tired of having to justify her relationships. If Abby couldn’t find it within herself to be supportive, was she really Carol’s best friend? Carol loved Abby and valued their friendship, but she had never felt the romantic spark with Abby that she had with both Gen and Therese. Even if she had been single, Carol wouldn’t dream of entering a relationship with someone that she didn’t find herself thinking about each morning before her eyes even opened. As much as Abby desired a romantic relationship with Carol, their relationship was destined to remain platonic or become nothing at all. The thought saddened Carol, but she needed to get through to Abby once and for all. She also needed to get her key back.

Carol turned down into the valley and passed Tommy in one of the State Park trucks. She waved and smiled, and he returned the gesture. He and Louise worked the night shift until Carol took over in the morning. 

Morning. It would come too soon. She hadn’t expected to return to the park so early, but the unfortunate course the dinner had taken necessitated cutting it short. While she was disappointed that she and Abby couldn’t enjoy a nice meal with drinks and reconnect, coming back early allowed her to see Therese. She turned into the campground.

Pulling in behind Therese’s Subaru, she smiled when she saw Therese’s features light up at her arrival. Therese had her cooler open on one of the picnic table benches near where her propane stove was fired up. Therese stopped what she was doing and watched Carol come toward her. Carol’s insides involuntarily rippled as she watched the dark-haired woman whose tan glowed. Damp and wavy from a recent shower, the wet ends of Therese's hair clung to her shoulders.

“Would you happen to have enough for two? I’m starving.” Carol glanced at the campsite next to Therese and was relieved to see the Peterson family had headed back to Walla Walla. Two older men played chess at their picnic table, neither even glancing up from the game. Carol noticed they had one tent and not a very large one at that.

Therese closed the distance between them, her smile fading. “Of course. Why are you here? I didn’t expect to see you tonight.” She laid a hand on Carol’s cheek. “I thought you had dinner plans. What’s wrong?” Therese asked, reading Carol like an open book, a feeling to which Carol was unaccustomed. Therese made her feel as if she were laid bare, completely vulnerable. While there was some discomfort in the newfound feeling, Carol also welcomed it. No one had ever seen her as completely as Therese did. Carol had been lost, and with Therese, she had been found. 

Carol took Therese in her arms, bending to bury her face in the younger woman’s neck. The scent of Therese’s shampoo was fresh and familiar. Therese didn’t press but simply held her, her hand making gentle circles on Carol’s back. Carol opened her eyes and saw Therese’s tent. She had been inside twice, under very different circumstances, the last instance still fresh in her memory. She wanted to whisper, “Find me again,” and let Therese pull her into the tent once more, but as fate would have it, her stomach growled loudly.

Therese chuckled and pulled away just enough to look into Carol's steel-blue eyes. “I could feel that rumble. Let’s get you some food.”

Carol smiled, content with the outcome even if her body had betrayed her. “I can help. What are you making?”

“Spaghetti and salad. Nothing fancy. The marinara is from a jar, but I do have real Parmesan. You can’t cut corners with certain things.”

Carol smiled. “That sounds delicious.” She kissed Therese on the forehead before seating herself at the table. Therese slid a small cutting board and paring knife in front of her. 

“You can cut the tomato and cucumber for the salad. I already washed them.”

Together they fixed the simple dinner with little said that didn’t involve the meal preparation. They moved harmoniously around each other, Therese attuned to Carol’s need to focus on the task at hand and not whatever had preceded her arrival. 

Surprisingly, despite the limited conversation with ample time to lose herself in her thoughts, Carol’s mind didn’t wander back to the steakhouse, but to the woman beside her. She wondered what it would be like to make dinner together not over a camp stove, but in a real kitchen, in a real home. The image in her mind wasn’t the small house the park provided for her, but somewhere else, somewhere Carol had never been. She imagined them making dinner together after they both returned home from work, laughing as they told each other about their day, gently nudging and teasing each other in the kitchen they called theirs. The problem was, Carol didn’t know where this scene existed or how to get there.

“Taste this,” Therese said, blowing on a spoonful of marinara before offering it to Carol. “I added some basil that I found in my little bag of spices.” 

Carol took what was offered, humming her approval.

“Enough salt?” Therese asked.

“It’s perfect, just delicious.” Carol smiled and ran her hand lovingly over Therese’s leg, just behind her knee. 

“Good,” Therese said, obviously happy with the answer from the way her green eyes sparkled. “The pasta is almost done. I’m so glad you’re here.” She squeezed Carol’s shoulder.

Carol leaned into her. “Me too.” It was not the filet mignon and dry martinis Carol thought her evening would entail, but the simple meal she helped make with the woman whose smile made her chest hurt was somehow more delectable and exactly what she needed.

“Speaking of delicious food, I’m supposed to go to dinner at Jeanette’s house on Monday night. Jeanette is our other dispatcher, and both of us have the night off. Jeanette and her husband Cy have me over for dinner every couple of weeks, but I haven’t been there for some time. They’re the sweetest couple. They have a decent amount of land that’s been in their family forever. They love this area as much as I do. Jeanette specifically told me to ask you to come along so she can meet you if you want to go with me.” 

Therese listened to Carol’s nervous spiel in amusement. “Of course,” she said as Carol began to tell her she didn’t have to come. “Of course, I’ll go with you.” She gently cupped Carol’s cheek before returning to the small stove.

When it came time to eat, Therese sat next to her, not across from her. They watched the campground’s activity as they enjoyed the salads and pasta. Carol appreciated that Therese had cooked the pasta perfectly and told her so. She ate with an appetite equivalent of the noise her stomach had been making, even indulging in a second helping.

“Do you want to talk about what’s going on?” Therese asked as Carol finished and wiped her mouth on her napkin. Therese laid her left hand on Carol’s thigh. It sent shivers running up the opposite side of Carol’s spine. Carol pushed her plate away from her and began to tear small shreds from her soiled napkin.

“Abby is - I don’t even know anymore,” Carol said wistfully. “I miss my best friend. I miss who she used to be. She’s become so different over the years, but especially lately. I’ve always thought that sooner or later she would get the hint that I’m not interested in her that way, but now we’re into our second decade of knowing each other, and it seems worse than ever.” The pile of napkin shreds grew larger, and Carol quickly slapped and retrieved a piece that threatened to fly away in the light breeze. “I thought for a time when I was with Gen that Abby had finally accepted that she would forever be relegated to best friend status, but after Gen died, she started up again, maybe worse than before.”

Therese reached over and gathered the scraps of the napkin, both from Carol’s hands and from the tabletop. She wadded them together and set the ball on her empty plate before taking Carol’s hand in hers. 

“What did she say?” Therese kept hold of Carol’s hand, her thumb lightly brushing over Carol’s knuckles.

“Abby is mad at me for keeping secrets from her. Gen’s cheating came as a surprise, as well as Harge’s involvement.” Carol paused and looked at their hands. “She thinks I’m making poor decisions.”

“So I came up?”

Carol gave a feeble laugh. “Of course you came up.”

“She doesn’t like me,” Therese stated.

“No, but she wouldn’t like anyone in your position.” Carol gently squeezed Therese’s hand. The chess players broke out in laughter next to them. Both Carol and Therese looked over as the two men started another game, arranging pieces quickly as if they had done it thousands of times before. “How long would you guess they’ve been playing?” 

Therese cocked her head at Carol and raised one eyebrow. “Oh, I would say they’ve been playing a very long time.” She grinned. “They’re cute. Their names are William and Stan. They introduced themselves earlier.” The women watched the older duo for a moment.

Carol resumed their prior conversation. “The part that makes me the angriest - no, I suppose the saddest - is that Abby can’t be happy for me. Her selfishness won’t allow her to see that I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

“You are?” Therese asked, her voice squeaking in surprise.

Carol turned to look at her. “Yes. Why?” 

Therese blushed and swallowed, embarrassed. “Well, you were almost practically married, weren’t you? With your girlf… - with Gen?”

Carol pivoted on the bench and placed her hands on Therese’s shoulders. She looked into vibrant green eyes that began to pool with watery joy. “Therese, I am happier with you than I have ever been.”

Therese’s dimples flickered into sight before erupting into a full-blown grin. “I’m happy, too - happier than I ever have been.” Her eyes shone bright, her smile brighter.

Carol caressed Therese’s neck and cupped her face with both hands. Her thumbs brushed Therese’s cheeks, and Therese closed her eyes before Carol placed her lips against hers. 

“Come spend the night with me?” Carol whispered.

“God, yes.”

Carol laughed at her response. Therese welcomed the happy change, Carol’s prior demeanor disappearing like a wispy cloud on a windy day.

Carol washed, and Therese dried and put away the few dishes. Therese made sure all foodstuffs were stored in the cooler and carried the cooler to the back of her Subaru where she locked it up. She threw some clothing in a bag, and they both climbed into Carol’s truck for the short ride to Carol’s place. 

* * *

Carol closed the front door behind them and slid the chain into place. She was reminded again how badly she needed to ask Abby for her key back. Before she could engage the chain on the back door, Therese stopped her. 

“Let’s go sit outside on the swing.” 

“Seriously?” Carol asked, turning to see if Therese was joking, but she wasn’t. “Okay, sure.” Carol turned on the back porch light. The sun had gone, and darkness had quickly taken over.

“Let’s leave it off,” Therese suggested, flipping the switch down again. “We can see the stars better.”

Amused, Therese watched Carol acquiesce to her plan to go outside when Therese knew she clearly wanted to go to bed. She had seen that look in Carol’s eyes before. 

“Do you want anything to drink?” Carol asked, opening the refrigerator.

Armed with a beer apiece, they walked hand-in-hand to the swing where they took their seats. Just as they had before, Carol kept them moving, her bare foot on the low table in front of them pushing them to and fro. Therese took a long drink from her beer, admiring the night sky as she did.

“Are you getting your fill of the stars?” Carol asked, playing with Therese’s hair that had finally dried in the arid air.

“Yes.” Therese leaned forward and placed her beer on the table next to Carol’s. Grasping the back of the swing, she rose up on one knee and threw her other leg over Carol’s lap to straddle her.

“Oh!” Carol’s hands came to rest on Therese’s bare thighs, and her foot that had been pushing the swing met the ground.

“Keep us moving,” Therese softly instructed. “I want to feel you.” Using the back of the swing again, she pulled the lower half of her body tightly against Carol until their pelvises met. 

Carol pushed against the ground, and they swayed again. Even in the dark, she could see the intensity in Therese’s eyes. “Here I was afraid maybe you changed your mind about having sex tonight,” Carol admitted. Her hands moved to grasp Therese’s ass and pull her closer.

“I very much want to have sex with you,” Therese said huskily before her lips met Carol’s. There was no superficial brushing of lips, or tongues meekly asking permission, but an eager, open-mouthed kiss from the start. 

Therese’s hips undulated against Carol’s pelvis, and Carol slid down a few inches to better match their bodies together.

“Yes.” Therese gasped into Carol’s mouth. 

Carol moved her hands beneath Therese’s tank top, finding not a bra but a built-in liner. Her fingers made their way beneath the band of elastic and she took both of Therese’s breasts in her hands, moaning when stiff nipples grazed her fingers and palms. She rolled the tight nuggets of flesh between her fingers, and Therese swept her tongue against Carol’s hungrily. 

Clumsily, Carol pushed up Therese’s tank top. She broke their kiss and took a nipple in her mouth, eliciting a groan from the woman grinding against her. Therese cupped Carol’s head with one hand and the back of the swing with her other. She was worked up, and everything felt great, but it wasn’t enough. As if Carol knew, her left hand moved to support Therese’s back, her mouth dragging across Therese's chest to pay attention to her other nipple. Putting a bit of space between them, she undid Therese’s shorts and slid a hand inside.

Therese gasped when Carol’s fingers swept against her center, already slick with arousal. She threw her head back to the night sky. 

“You are so beautiful,” she heard Carol say, but Carol’s fingers moving the way they did not allow for a response. All Therese knew was that she felt amazing, especially every time Carol pushed off with her foot. 

“C-Ca-Caro..” Therese stuttered, caught between loving what was being done to her and wanting more. Carol slid two slick fingers inside her, shifting Therese slightly so she had room to move them. Therese felt Carol’s lips wrapped around her nipple once more, her tongue licking and pulling it against the roof of her mouth. “Oh, fu-” 

Therese leaned forward, more of her weight on her knees, one arm wrapped around Carol’s head, one supporting herself on the swing. She rode Carol’s fingers in time with the motion of the swing. “This was exactly what I wanted,” she panted. 

Carol’s wrist already ached from the odd angle, but she had no intention of stopping. “Baby, I need you to touch yourself for me. I’m out of hands,” Carol said apologetically. She kissed the center of Therese’s chest. “Or you can lie down.” 

Therese answered by letting go of Carol’s head and dropping her hand between them. “Please...please... don’t let me fall.”

“I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.” Carol curled her fingers and pushed off with her foot until Therese came, gasping and moaning into Carol’s neck. She stilled her fingers and let Therese take the time she needed to ride out her orgasm. Eventually, Carol stopped pushing the swing with her foot. She kissed the side of Therese’s head and neck, a sheen of perspiration mixing with the scent of Therese’s shampoo.

“Are you still alive?” Carol asked.

“Mmmmm,” came the muffled response. Finally, Therese sat up, Carol’s fingers still inside her. “I’ve imagined that. Every time we’ve been on this swing, I’ve thought about doing that with you,” Therese said, her heady, satiated state allowing her honesty to bloom.

“You have?” Carol smiled.

Therese kissed her. “Yes, but I never imagined it would be that good,” she admitted.

“Do I get these back?” Carol smiled and slightly wiggled her fingers, causing Therese to jump and gasp. 

“No.” Therese chuckled and grabbed Carol’s wrist, holding her fingers inside her. “Not yet.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my love for taking the time to edit this during a super busy week. I'm excited to spend the next week with you. <3


	32. The Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still with me?

Therese followed Carol into the house and watched as Carol busied herself with menial household tasks like locking the back door and recycling their empty beer bottles. She picked up her keys off the table and dropped them in a small bowl by the door and even straightened the pillows on the sofa. Therese leaned against the doorframe and watched with interest. The woman who had just moments ago brought her to orgasm on a porch swing was now distracted, fidgeting, a ball of nerves. Therese wondered if Carol was waiting for her to make the next move.

Despite what had just occurred on the swing, Therese’s desire sang to her again like the crickets in the trees. Just watching Carol float about, seemingly oblivious to Therese’s eyes on her, had Therese wanting. She wanted to let her hands wander beneath Carol’s clothing, to strip them off, to touch all of her, taste all of her. Mentally Therese undressed Carol with haste until the blonde laid bare beneath her.

Sex never felt this way with Richard, even in the beginning. He was nice enough, showered her with attention, and wouldn’t take no for an answer to his frequent requests for a date. Therese liked the feeling of being part of a couple, especially since all her friends had already begun serious relationships long before. Therese now realized that whatever she had felt for Richard had not been love, nor raw desire. She never felt satisfied after sex with him. Come to think of it, she had been underwhelmed after her first time with her first serious boyfriend, too. Therese recalled thinking, “Is that it?” It had been nothing like what she had heard other people talk about or what she had read in books or seen on television or films.

With Carol, it was different. Therese wanted Carol all the time. Sex with Carol was eye-opening and more pleasurable than she ever imagined it could be, and she received just as much enjoyment bringing Carol pleasure. 

As Carol went around turning off unnecessary lights, Therese hypnotically watched the swing of her hips and the rise and fall of her breasts with every step. She couldn’t wait any longer. When Carol came towards her, Therese let her pass and then stepped behind her and wrapped her arms tightly around the taller woman. She knew she startled Carol by the way Carol jumped as the light extinguished, and she suddenly found breasts pressed into her back and warm breath tickling her neck. Carol covered Therese’s arms with her own and leaned against her. Their bodies swayed together. 

Therese whispered into the nape of Carol’s neck. “I need you now.” She felt Carol’s ribs contract as Carol exhaled in surprise at her words. 

Carol leaned into her and moaned softly. “Oh.” She turned to face her. Therese was captivated by how dark Carol’s eyes had turned, a glassy haze now obscuring her gaze. Therese could read Carol’s lust like smoke signals.

“I’ll be there in a minute.” Therese motioned with her head toward the bedroom.

Carol gave her a small, amused smile. Therese watched Carol walk to her bedroom, grateful that Carol had appeared pleased. She realized that Carol might need her right now even more than she needed Carol. She stood in the living room for a moment, trapped in her thoughts, before realizing she didn’t really have a reason for not joining Carol immediately. Therese turned off the kitchen light and the front porch light and made her way down the hall. 

Upon entering the bedroom, Therese noticed Carol’s clothes strewn about the floor between the door and the bed where they had been hastily discarded. Carol laid propped against the pillows, covered only by a sheet. The comforter was thrown back, half of it hanging off the end of the bed. Carol watched Therese’s every move.

Therese smiled. “Ready for me?”

“I’ve been ready since you first straddled me outside.” Carol’s voice was deliciously low and intoxicating. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation and wonder, as if she recognized, but had new awe for the woman before her. Carol ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back off her forehead. Her chest rose and fell sharply under the sheet.

Therese walked toward the bed, undoing her shorts. She stopped in front of Carol and slid her shorts down her legs languidly before stepping out of them. Eyes hooded and lips parted, Carol reached out and traced the edges of Therese’s underwear with the back of her finger, lingering over the center, moist from their outdoor activities. When Therese slid those off, Carol’s fingers wandered over the newly exposed territory. Therese pulled her tank top up and over her head and felt Carol’s hand on her breast before the shirt even cleared her eyes.

Giving Therese’s hand a squeeze, Carol slid to the middle of the bed, gliding beneath the sheet, and waited. Therese picked up the top edge of the sheet and slowly peeled it back, her eyes drinking in every inch as Carol was revealed. She knelt on the bed next to Carol and drank her in. 

“What’s wrong?” Carol asked, suddenly self-conscious. 

“Absolutely nothing. I’ve only seen you with my hands in the dark. I finally get to admire you in the light.”

Carol smiled and visibly relaxed. She let Therese take her time, her hand resting on Therese’s leg. Therese’s hands followed her eyes, traveling over blush-colored nipples, one still soft and one beginning to harden. Carol’s breasts were perfect, creamy white against her tan lines. The perfect curve where the side of Carol’s breast met her ribcage begged Therese to trace it with a fingertip. She noticed Carol’s breathing falter as she touched her, two fingertips trailing down her flat stomach. She pulled the sheet back all the way, past the small triangle of blonde curls and down Carol’s long, shapely legs. 

Impetuously, Therese threw one leg over Carol and straddled her for the second time that night. She brushed a lock of hair out of Carol’s eyes before leaning forward until their faces nearly touched.

“You are so beautiful,” she whispered, her lips grazing Carol’s. 

Carol wove her fingers through the hair at the nape of Therese’s neck and pulled her down into a kiss. Their bodies aligned, breasts to breasts. Therese traced Carol’s lip with her tongue, Carol welcomed her and slid her own against it. 

Carol spread her legs, and Therese shifted to lie between them. With every rhythmic probe of their exploring tongues, she pressed her pelvis into Carol, and Carol’s wetness spread between them.

“Oh, you’re already so wet,” Therese groaned in astonishment.

“The swing,” Carol gasped, working her hips in tandem with Therese’s.

Therese slid lower, and Carol whimpered, missing their slick friction. Therese took a hardened nipple into her mouth. Her hand splayed over Carol’s other breast.

She moved down slowly. Carol spread her legs wider and bent her knees. Therese’s fingers wandered over rosy and swollen skin, noticing each of Carol’s reactions. She lightly traced her tongue over Carol’s sweet and soft folds before taking her in her mouth. With gentle suction, she latched on and stroked Carol with her tongue. Carol’s hips oscillated in time with Therese’s mouth. 

“Therese, I need you.” A simple, delicious sentence etched between gasps. 

Therese swept two fingers through the wetness pooling at Carol’s entrance, hot and molten like a precious metal tipped from a crucible. Massaging the muscled entrance, once, twice, Therese pushed inside. Carol’s warm body gripped her, no space left between them as Carol’s hips rose from the bed. Carol pulsed against Therese’s firm swipes, growing wetter with each upward stroke of her tongue. 

Without removing her fingers, Therese kissed Carol's inner thigh and laid her body on the bed next to the blonde. Carol raised her eyebrows, her body still throbbing around the brunette's fingers. Therese's green eyes flashed with an intensity that only the finest gemstones in the world possess. 

“Will you get on top of me?”

Carol hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then nodded and threw a leg over her. Therese urged Carol’s hips upward with her free hand. Carol carefully gathered Therese’s hair that splayed out on the mattress and tucked it behind her head. She placed a knee on either side of Therese’s head, hovering tantalizingly close. Carol made eye contact with the young woman beneath her.

“Melt into me,” Therese softly pleaded with eyes wide, dragging her curled fingers out slowly for emphasis before thrusting them inside again. “Please.”

She saw the words hit, the recognition in the twitch of Carol’s eyes, the parting of her lips, and the heave of her chest. Carol grasped the headboard and carefully lowered herself just above Therese’s mouth. When Therese raised her head to make contact, Carol pushed against her, sliding slightly side-to-side for the perfect fit.

After admiring the sight above her for a moment - the perfect breasts swaying with each tiny gyration of Carol’s hips, the blonde waves loose and sweeping, the hands gripping the headboard tightly - Therese closed her eyes and swam in the taste and scent of Carol. 

Their gasps and sounds filled the room. Therese was certain that the heat between them could alter their individual essences. They mixed and slid together, time and time again until Carol suddenly tensed and then jerked erratically. Under the high heat, the liquid flowing between them formed an alloy, poured out as one.

Therese removed her fingers, and Carol fell beside her. Carol’s lashes fluttered, then came to rest on her sun-kissed cheeks. Therese kept one arm around her as Carol's breathing normalized. When she opened her eyes again moments later, she lovingly tucked a lock of Therese's hair behind her ear and pressed their lips together gently. She gazed intently at Therese and smiled. Her expression changed to one of excitement. “I want to take you away for your birthday. Would you like that?”

Therese’s eyebrows shot up, and she grinned. “Away? Where?” 

“My parents have a house on Lake Coeur d’Alene and a boat. They’ll be in New York. I asked Louise, and she said she would trade shifts with me. I thought it might be nice to get away for a weekend, just the two of us - that is if you don’t mind missing a few days of work on your thesis.”

“A real boat?” Therese’s interest was piqued.

“It even has a motor.” Carol laughed. “I won’t make you row this time.” 

“It’s just a birthday. You really don’t have to-”

Carol cut her off, shaking her head. “Therese Belivet, do I look like the type of woman who does things I don’t want to do?”

“I suppose I could stay an extra couple days at the end of the summer if I need to.” Therese acquiesced with a smile. “I built in some extra time, too.”

“Louise asked me where I was taking my rock lady,” Carol said, chuckling.

“So your coworkers know about us?” Therese asked, surprised.

“I think some of them are catching on. I also wanted to explain to Louise why I asked to trade shifts.”

Therese considered the situation. “We could take my Subaru. It’s a better road trip vehicle than your truck.”

Carol shrugged and laughed. “It’s your call. We’re going to look uber-lesbian either in either one.”

“Really? Is that a thing? Subarus?” Therese wrinkled her nose and scrunched her eyebrows. “I never knew.”

“Well, you weren’t sitting at the women-loving-women table until rather recently. Correct?” Carol teased her. 

Therese became serious. “No, but I realize I should have gotten to this point a lot sooner. Looking back at certain parts of my life, I can see that there were all these instances where I thought I just really admired a woman when in actuality it was more of a crush.” She contemplated what she had just admitted. “I think I was scared to admit what I wanted until you came along. With you, I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity.”

Carol smiled and let her talk. 

“It never felt quite right with any guy I dated, including Richard. It’s hard to explain. I suppose I just thought what I had was as good as it gets. When I met you, it didn’t take long to realize that it could indeed get better, much better. It feels right with you.”

“Therese.” Carol smiled and kissed her suddenly. The kiss lasted so long that Therese was certain that she was going to need another orgasm before they slept.

When Carol pulled away and ran her thumb over Therese’s swollen lower lip, Therese spoke up again. 

“I’m glad we waited.”

“What?” Carol asked, blinking a few times.

“I’m glad we waited to have sex,” Therese clarified. “Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to have sex with you from the moment we first met, and I probably wouldn’t have turned you down had you asked. But waiting until you were ready allowed us to get to know each other more. It made it more meaningful if that makes sense. Does it?” Therese didn’t know what possessed her to say these things, words sliding from her mouth like drops of water down a Seattle windshield.

Carol looked into Therese’s eyes, large and sincere. Carol didn’t know how to possibly explain to anyone what it felt like when the woman she loved laid in her bed and verbalized the things that swirled inside her own heart. She rolled her body atop Therese. 

“Yes, my love. It does make sense.”

* * *

Abby pulled her Mariner’s cap down over her eyes and moved deeper into the treeline. Carol’s truck had been parked alongside her house when Abby had driven by earlier in the evening. Lights were on inside the cheap clapboard house, but that didn’t necessarily mean Carol was home. 

It was too late now to risk driving her RAV4 through the campground. If Jack, who was on duty tonight, saw her vehicle, it would precipitate questions she didn’t want to answer. Abby had a hunch that Jack cut corners when he did vehicular patrols. His patrols took half as long as any of the other rangers. In that respect, she had ended up with a good draw tonight. Still, she decided to proceed on foot, careful to avoid detection. If she was seen despite her careful tactics, she would just say she couldn’t sleep and decided to go on a midnight walk. Her navy t-shirt and jeans helped her fade into the darkness. She wished she had remembered to use bug spray. Mosquitoes feasted on her forearms, and she tried to slap them away without drawing any attention to herself.

Checking her shielded phone for the umpteenth time, the dim screen confirmed what she already knew. Abby hadn’t heard a word from Carol since Carol had walked out of the steakhouse hours ago. She had erroneously believed that Carol would at least send her a text after she cooled down. 

Abby never liked being at odds with Carol, even when they were younger. It made everything feel wrong, as if the world had shifted slightly on its axis, throwing everything off-kilter. Was Carol waiting for her to apologize? Why should Abby apologize for speaking her mind? After all, she was looking out for Carol, even if the eventual absence of Therese did happen to benefit her interests. 

Abby covertly wandered through the campground, not getting too close, but close enough to see that campfires and lanterns lit up all the sites except for the one  _ that girl _ occupied. She turned around and walked toward the lake. Her pulse thudded in her ears as she neared Carol’s house. She kept one eye peeled for movement of any kind. The last thing she wanted to do was run into Therese on her way back from Carol’s. Actually, the more she thought about it, she preferred running into Therese over knowing that Therese was in Carol’s bed at that very moment. 

She came to the edge of the trees. Abby had to leave their cover in order to cross the road and cut across the grassy area alongside the lake. The park appeared quiet. Campers had migrated back to their campsites and the road was void of vehicles. Abby jogged to the nearest grouping of trees. With no moon and the late hour, darkness was her friend. 

Nearing Carol’s house, she noticed the glow of the bug zapper in the backyard. Were they back there right now? Was Carol bitching to Therese about her? Lights glowed from the windows, beckoning her closer. Warm squares of amber fought their way around the edges of the window shades. 

She stopped in the trees that bordered the parking lot across from Carol’s house. Abby knew Carol loved her swing with the view of the starry sky. Could she determine if they were in the backyard without them seeing her? It was a huge risk. Once again, she would have to leave her cover and cross the road.

Annoyance had morphed into something more sinister. She was pissed that Carol hadn’t texted or called her. Abby wondered if it was because Carol was that upset with her or if she was just too busy doing —  _ whatever. _ The array of possibilities dashed into her mind like an avalanche on an unsuspecting slope. Her mind was not a foreigner to these images, but the second person in all the imagined scenarios with Carol had always been Abby, not Therese. Arousal turned to revulsion, and then resentment. She slapped a mosquito on her wrist, smearing blood across her arm that appeared black in the darkness of the night.

Abby had to know if something was going on behind the house. She needed to know how deeply Carol was into this thing she called a relationship. Even the word ‘relationship’ sickened her to the point her hands shook. At the steakhouse, Abby pretended that she could tell that Carol and Therese had slept together, hoping that Carol would show her hand, but she had been unreadable. Apparently, Carol’s two years’ experience playing her cards close to her chest had paid off. 

She chose her moment and dashed across the road, bending low to first use Carol’s personal truck and then her work truck as cover. Her shoes crunching on gravel sounded like an industrial rock crusher to her hypersensitive ears as she crept along the side of the house. Fear coursed through her as she realized she had no plan or excuse to explain why she was there should she be caught. 

Holding her breath, she peered around the corner of the house. She couldn’t see anyone, but the swing was moving. Nose held high, she angled her face to and fro to feel the air for a breeze, but there was none. The desert night was still. The porch light abruptly turned off, startling Abby. Plunged into darkness aside from the stars and bug zapper, Abby waited to let her eyes adjust and then crept back the way she came. As she passed between the house and the trucks, someone extinguished the remaining lights on the side of the house where she cautiously tiptoed.

Abby surveyed the area before dashing back across the road to the safety of the cover of trees. Her approach started a lone deer who jumped and ran toward the lake. Heart racing, Abby cursed under her breath. She knew no more than she had at the start of the night, although she suspected Therese was with Carol inside the house. How she wished she could run up to Therese’s tent, upturn it, and run away just to see if she was inside. She laughed aloud, her voice sounding like a movie villainess in the quiet night. How she would wickedly love to hear Therese yelp in surprise or even fear. Disappointment hit hard though, as she realized that Carol surely would have told her to stake her tent down by now if Therese hadn’t already experienced the canyon’s wild winds for herself. 

As she cautiously followed the treeline, she did have to admit that Carol had changed. Abby preferred to believe that Carol had finally climbed out from the blanket of sadness she had lived under for over two years, as one does when they experience the stages of grief, but she knew differently. Yes, time must have certainly played its part, softening the painful edges that sliced so sharply in the beginning, but even Abby had to admit that Therese had caused a delightful change in Carol. Abby had almost forgotten how absolutely stunning Carol was when she was happy. 

Abby had always hoped that she would be the one to bring about the sunrise after the storm. She had patiently waited for Carol to grieve, to finally heal, to turn and see her stalwart and steadfast friend as something more. She had waited for Carol to realize that Abby had been beside her all the time. Instead, the whirlwind that was Therese had swooped in while Abby bided her time.

Discouraged, depressed, and still slightly buzzed from three martinis, Abby crept home in the dark, scratching the annoying welts on her arms. One thought slightly alleviated her dejection: it was already halfway through July. Therese would be gone soon.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my editor who has dealt with this mess for weeks now. <3


	33. The Dinner

Days passed since Carol left Abby at the steakhouse. They heard each other’s voices over the radio while working, but they had not spoken face-to-face or about anything personal. It left Carol feeling strange and unsettled. Maybe she reacted too harshly by getting up and walking out of the restaurant. Abby was her best friend, after all, and she missed their frequent chats and funny texts. So, to ease the tension between them, she stopped and picked up two iced coffees from the snack shack just before the end of both of their shifts, an olive branch of sorts.

Carrying both cups into the Interpretive Center, she greeted the young volunteers out front before making her way to the back where the dispatch office was located. Based on the low-volume crackles coming from the speaker clipped to her shoulders, she knew that Abby was on the radio before she entered the room, so Carol took a seat opposite Abby’s desk and waited. Abby glanced at her, but her expression did not change.

“PR 621, please confirm when the road is open again. Out.”

Louise responded. “Dispatch, roger. Out.”

Abby typed something rapidly on her computer before pushing the monitor aside and looking at Carol and then at the cups she held in her hands. “Hi.” Her greeting lacked enthusiasm. “We’re still waiting on the tow trucks,” she said blandly in explanation. Carol had heard about the non-injury accident. It wasn’t unusual to wait a good amount of time for a tow truck to make its way from town.

“I brought you an iced coffee.” Carol pushed the fuller of the two cups across the desk. 

Abby accepted it with a small smile. “Thanks. I needed this. It’s been a long day, and every time I get two spare seconds to run to the kitchen, I find an empty coffee pot.”

Carol’s mouth turned up at the corner, well aware of Abby’s rants against the young people who staffed the visitors’ center. “Well, you only have 10 minutes left before you’re finished. At least your day will end on a good note.” She watched Abby sip the cold, sweet beverage and roll her eyes with exaggerated pleasure. 

Both of their radios came to life. “Dispatch, this is PR 676. Please call me before you sign off. Out.”

“Isn’t Harge off-duty?” Carol asked, scowling.

Abby nodded as she spoke into her microphone. “PR 676, this is Dispatch. Roger. Out.”

“What does he want?” 

Abby shrugged. “Who knows. There has been some talk about getting Jeanette and me some part-time help or an intern so one of us doesn’t have to take a radio home every night. Maybe that?”

“My ears are burning,” Jeanette said, entering the room. “Oh, hi, dear.” She squeezed Carol’s shoulder before dropping her tote bag next to her desk.

“Harge wants to chat with me. We were trying to figure out if it was about the interns.” Abby swirled her cup of coffee before taking another sip. Jeanette went through her routine of flipping switches and pushing buttons as she brought her workstation to life.

“Let’s hope,” Jeanette said. “There’s not much activity on the radios at night, but it would still be nice to be free of it more often than we are. Maybe he wants to test the waters on whether or not he can convince you to train them.” She turned to Carol. “I’ve been doing this almost as long as he has been alive, but he still treats me like I’m incompetent when it comes to technology.”

No one had to say anything because everyone in the room knew that Jeanette was anything but incompetent.

“I should leave you two,” Carol said, standing up. “Abby has a phone call to make, and you need to settle in.”

“Okay, dear. I look forward to having you and Therese over tomorrow night. Cy and I can’t wait to meet your girl.” Carol caught Abby’s head jerk in her peripheral vision. Perhaps Jeanette did, too, or perhaps she was just being kind, in-tune with her personality. “Abby, Cy and I will have to have you over for dinner the first night we get an intern to cover for us,” Jeanette told her. 

Abby gave a half-smile and nodded. “Sure.”

Carol dropped her empty cup in the garbage can next to Abby’s desk. “See you tomorrow, Jeanette. Bye, Abby.” She felt Abby’s eyes on her back as she exited the room. Carol left feeling that whatever inroads the iced coffee gesture made had melted when Jeanette had mentioned having her and Therese over for dinner.

* * *

“You’re sure I’m dressed okay?” Therese asked, adjusting the straps on her sundress.

Carol glanced over at her. “You look lovely.” Therese hadn’t been fishing for a compliment, only wanting to show up wearing appropriate attire, but Carol’s words still sent a lovely warmth through her.

They left the park and drove for 10-15 minutes. Despite it still being light out, the full moon hovered just above the horizon in front of them.

“Jeanette has a long commute,” Therese stated.

“Yes, they live on a ranch that her husband Cy runs. They have quite a few acres. You’ll have to ask Cy exactly how many.” Carol slowed and turned left onto a dirt road that had been recently graded. Still, the truck bounced and bumped along. “I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the land between here and the park is theirs.”

Impressed, Therese enjoyed the scenery out her window. She wondered just how difficult ranching was in the arid, desert climate around them. Modern inventions like irrigation certainly must make it possible, otherwise, Therese couldn’t imagine how cattle could find enough vegetation to eat. Carol broke her reverie.

“Unfortunately, it’s that time of the month again.” 

Shocked, Therese spun her head to look at Carol, but Carol grinned at her bad joke. “You need to move campsites again. We should do it before we go away for your birthday. I’ll help you.”

“Okay. Do you have any suggestions for where I should request a new campsite?” Therese asked.

“Of course. I’ve already arranged it.” Carol reached over and took her hand. “I tried to prioritize privacy again. I hope that’s fine with you.” 

Therese smiled and looked down at their hands together. “Yes. Perfect.”

The dirt road turned out to be Cy and Jeanette’s long driveway. Carol pulled up next to Cy’s dusty, white Ford F250 and parked. As they exited the vehicle, Therese could smell the telltale scent of ranching in the air. She wondered if ranchers ever became immune to the scent of manure.

An older man stood on the front porch and called out to them. “I saw your dust coming up the road. Come on inside, girls. Jeanette has cold drinks for you.”

Carol led Therese up the steps with a fleeting hand on the small of her back. She embraced the gray-haired man whose weather-worn face proved many summers spent out-of-doors, and he kissed her cheek. “Hello, Cy. It’s been too long.” Carol slipped her arm around Therese’s waist. “This is my girlfriend, Therese Belivet.”

Cy Harrison shook Therese’s hand. “So, this is the geologist. I’ve heard so much about you from Jeanette.” 

Therese wondered how he had heard so much. She realized that Carol must be quite close to his wife. Just then the screened front door opened.

“Ladies, I’m so glad you’re here. Cy, let them come inside out of the heat!” Jeanette ushered them into her home.

Before she could take in her surroundings, Jeanette enveloped her in a warm hug. “Therese, we are so happy to have someone so special to Carol join us for dinner.” Therese caught Carol blush furiously over Jeanette’s shoulder, but she was smiling widely.

“I brought this for you,” Therese said, offering Jeanette the bottle of wine she carried. “Carol said you liked reds.”

“Oh, it’s lovely. Thank you,” Jeanette said, examining the label. “I do like a little glass every night before bed. It helps me sleep.” She gave Therese a conspiratorial wink. “You’re so sweet to bring something, but that wasn’t necessary. Carol should have told you.

“I did. She’s very stubborn,” Carol told Jeanette, throwing an arm around her shoulders and hugging her. “I thought I should at least tell her which one to bring if she’s going to bring one anyway.”

“Come, make yourselves comfortable in the family room. I have a few little things left to do in the kitchen.” Carol and Therese followed Cy. 

“Do you need some help?” Therese offered.

“No, darling. I only need to know what you would like to drink.” Jeanette spoke to them over the half-wall that divided the kitchen and family room. “I made some of my special spiked lemonade, or I can open the wine if you prefer wine. If you want something stronger, Cy would be happy to mix up something for you.”

Cy had just settled into a well-loved, dark leather recliner that appeared to be his favorite spot to sit based on the television remotes lined up neatly on the side table next to him. Therese tentatively sat next to Carol on the sofa.

“I’d love some of your lemonade, please,” Therese answered. 

“It’s not just lemonade, dear. There is alcohol in it. Is that okay?” Jeanette hesitated with a glass and ladle in the other.

“Even better,” Therese said, grinning.

“I will have the same,” Carol said, relaxing back into the sofa and crossing her long legs in front of her. “It smells amazing in here, Jeanette. What are you making?”

Jeanette brought two cold drinks to them. Lemon wheels and chipped ice floated in each glass.

“I made sure you weren’t a vegetarian, dear,” Jeanette said to Therese. “Otherwise, I don’t know what I would have made. We tend to be beef eaters around here. Cy smoked tri-tip for us. I’m just warming it up in the oven. I made some twice baked potatoes and a zucchini gratin with some of the vegetables from my garden. There is a strawberry rhubarb pie in the oven and homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert.”

Carol laughed at Therese’s huge eyes. “It’s like this every time. I leave 10 pounds heavier.”

Cy spoke up from his chair. He had reclined, propping his stockinged feet up. His cowboy boots stood by the door. “I knew I wanted to marry that woman the first time she cooked for me.” He smiled and proudly watched his wife return to the kitchen.

“You know what they say,” Jeanette said as she donned checkered pot holders and pulled the pie out of the oven. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” She stopped suddenly, one red and white potholder held in the air. “I suppose it’s probably the same for two women? Is it?” She tentatively looked to the sofa where Carol and Therese sat. 

Carol leaned her head on her elbow on the back of the sofa. She looked at Therese and smiled. “I supposed it is. Therese does make a mean spaghetti.”

Therese had never been in a relationship with a woman before, let alone discussed it with people she had just met, yet somehow she felt safe in Jeanette and Cy’s house. She could tell they both adored Carol, and even though she couldn’t imagine being relaxed in this situation, she was. Her blush was due to the way Carol looked at her, not Jeanette’s comment. 

After stuffing themselves with far too much during dinner, Carol and Cy retreated to the family room while Therese helped Jeanette fix dessert. Therese could hear Cy filling in Carol on the current count of his head of cattle in the other room. 

“The ice cream is in the freezer, dear, and the scoop is in the second drawer. If you run the scoop under hot water, it will make the job easier.” 

Therese obediently retrieved both items as Jeanette set out four dessert plates. She turned on the water at the sink.

“Have you known Carol long?” Therese asked. 

“Since the first day she showed up at the park - why, it must be close to 10 years ago now. I knew she was special from the day we met.” Jeanette used a sharp knife to cut the pie into six large slices. “Carol loves this park like few rangers do. Others complain about the heat or the aridity. They use the park to get a year or two’s worth of experience under their belt and move on to bigger and better things - everybody wants to work in a Yellowstone or Yosemite - but Carol sees the beauty within. She has a special connection to the park. The park needs Carol as much as Carol needs the park.” She pushed two plates of pie across the table so Therese could add scoops of ice cream. 

Jeanette lowered her voice. “Carol is like a daughter to me. Cy and I never were able to have kids. I know he would have loved to have a son or daughter who could inherit the ranch someday.” 

Therese didn’t know exactly how to respond. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It was heart-wrenching watching Carol go through everything a few years ago. It was like watching my child in pain,” Jeanette admitted quietly as she searched for dessert forks in a drawer. “I assume you know about what happened?” She looked up at Therese, and Therese nodded, so Jeanette continued. “I was working the night of the fire. Everything happened so fast. It felt like it was over before it started. No one saw it coming. These terrible messages just kept coming over the radio. It’s one thing to deal with emergencies and disasters on a daily basis, but when you know the people involved, it’s a different animal.”

Therese watched the older women try to tuck imaginary strands of silver hair behind her ears, a habit likely remaining from when her hair was longer. Realizing her error, she adjusted her glasses on her nose instead.

Jeanette stilled and with a hushed voice told Therese, “I don’t know how much she told you, but Carol was on duty that night. She was already responding to another incident, so she was the last ranger to arrive on scene, thank God,” Jeanette said, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears as she wrapped the remaining pie in plastic wrap. “Barry - a ranger who used to work here - had to intercept Carol near the road as she got out of her truck and hold her back. I think Barry quit because of what he saw that night. I think the thought of continuing to work here with the ghost of that night haunting him was too much.”

Therese said nothing. There was nothing she could say, but Jeanette didn’t seem to expect anything from her. Jeanette took the ice cream container from Therese’s hands and returned it to the freezer. Carol and Cy laughed loudly about something in the other room.

“I think Carol blames herself for not getting there sooner but as I said, Therese, I was working the radios that night. It wouldn’t have mattered. It all happened so fast.”

“Have you told her that?” Therese asked.

“I’ve tried to tell her that many times, but I’m not sure she believes me.” Jeanette pulled a tray out of a lower cupboard. 

Therese looked into the other room just as Carol looked toward the kitchen. Their eyes met. As Cy flipped through a magazine looking for something he wanted to show Carol, and Jeanette added napkins to the tray, Carol smiled and winked at her. Their wordless connection across two rooms was enough to take Therese’s breath away. Carol pushed her hair out of her eyes and didn’t break eye contact until Cy handed her the magazine.

Her insides still awhirl, Therese helped Jeanette load the tray with plates and forks. Suddenly, Jeanette reached out and held Therese’s wrist. Her voice was even softer than before.

“The reason that I am telling you all this is because Carol has never been the same since.” Jeanette’s brown eyes changed from dark shadows to glimmering with light. “Until you.” She gently touched Therese’s cheek. “It’s good to see her smile again. Thank you for giving her back to us.”

Therese smiled and took a step forward, hugging the smaller woman to her. 

“What’s going on in there?” they heard Carol playfully call from the other room.

* * *

Carol offered to help Jeanette load the dishwasher when they had all finished the last remaining bites of pie and ice cream. 

Therese stood up to help clear plates, but Cy stopped her. 

“Come with me out to the garage for a minute, kiddo. There’s something I want to show you.” He made his way to the front door and slipped his feet into his cowboy boots.

Therese glanced at Carol, but Carol just shrugged. Therese followed Cy through a nondescript door in the kitchen out into the garage. He flipped on lights, and Therese saw what she assumed to be Jeanette’s Toyota Corolla in addition to a riding lawnmower. The sides of the garage were neatly organized with tools of all kinds on pegboards, and paint cans and boxes on simple shelving.

“She made me wait until after dinner,” Cy told her. He pulled down a couple of old cigar boxes from one of the shelves and set them down on his workbench. Therese stood next to him and watched. “You have to forgive the handwriting. I was only seven, not that my handwriting has improved much over the years. Here it is: my rock collection from Miss Warble’s second-grade class.” 

Therese looked at the open boxes. Each box contained a carefully-cut piece of brown cardboard on which a grid had been drawn in pen. A different rock had been glued into each square of the grid and labeled in a seven-year-old’s handwriting beneath it. Therese looked up and him and grinned.

“This is amazing.” Her fingers ran over calcite, beryl, carnelian, citrine, obsidian, and alabaster among others.

“Why do you think so many people are fascinated by rocks at one time or another in their lives?” Cy pondered.

“Maybe we are drawn to how they are all beautiful in their individual ways. They are all just rocks - but they are all so wonderfully unique.”

“Well-put, kiddo,” Cy said. “I was going to ask you if you wanted them, but Jeanette thought I should hold onto them for some odd reason. She’s sentimental like that.” He walked back to the shelves and pulled another very small box down from the corner. “Did you know that this land has been in my family for four generations?” he asked.

“No. Carol mentioned you had quite a few acres, but not how long you had owned them.” 

“My family has been ranching on this land since the late 1800s. You can imagine how different life must have been back then.” He handed her the small box. “As a young boy, I used to roam all over the place by myself. I often found these.” 

Therese lifted the lid off and gasped when she saw a dozen arrowheads of different sizes and colors.

“I don’t find as many as I used to, but I’m not running around like a young, wild thing like I once did either,” Cy confessed. “I’m usually in my truck these days, not out forging trails by foot as I did in my youth.”

“Can I touch them?” she asked. Cy nodded, so she set the box on the workbench and carefully lifted a few of them out to inspect their chiseled sides and carefully pointed tips.

“They’re a sad remnant of times that once were,” the older man lamented. “I suppose my ancestors played their part in that. I just do my best to protect and respect these pieces of history that I find on my property. It’s not often that I meet someone who has that same kind of respect, but from everything I’ve heard about you, you do. So I would like you to choose your favorite one to keep. You should have a memento of this area to take with you.”

“Cy, I couldn’t possibly,” Therese said, shaking her head. 

“You choose your favorite, hon. Maybe it will inspire me to get out of my truck once in a while and look for more.”

Therese smiled and acquiesced, choosing a sand-colored, medium-sized point with a wide body. It fit perfectly into the palm of her hand. “Thank you, Cy. I will treasure it.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Cy replaced the lid on the box and held out his arm toward the door. “After you. Let’s go see what our girls are up to.”

  
  



	34. The Bad News

Abby ripped open a packet of Stevia. She tipped the white powder into the empty coffee mug next to her radio on the small kitchenette counter. She waited and listened to the gurgling, dripping coffee pot as it slowly filled. 

She shook her head in disgust. No matter the year or whether the staff was green or returning, the young kids who staffed the interpretive center never made a new pot of coffee when it was empty. Young people competed for the summer positions and volunteer hours in an effort to eventually land the coveted job of park ranger in the State Park or National Park Service. Their main concerns were a nice entry on their resume, getting a little experience under their belts, and having a fun summer. So like den mothers, Jeanette and Abby were always left to make the coffee, clean up kitchen spills, and keep things orderly. 

Abby wished the dispatchers didn’t have to share space with the visitor center staff, but the windowless back room that housed the dispatcher’s electronic equipment that kept the park safe and running smoothly didn’t have another home. So the coffee war went on year after year. It made Abby feel old.

While the fresh pot of coffee brewed, Abby scrolled through Instagram. 

“Hey.” Harge Aird brushed past her, jostling her in the small kitchenette’s hallway, and opened a cupboard where everyone kept their coffee mugs. He pulled down his favorite green travel mug from the top shelf. Abby cringed upon seeing the built-up coffee stains inside it. Reaching in front of Abby, he pulled the almost-finished pot of coffee from the coffee maker and filled his mug. The coffee maker dripped and sizzled on the hot plate bottom until he replaced the pot.

“Jesus. It wasn't even finished,” Abby said with exasperation.

“Close enough,” Harge said, reaching across her and grabbing a handful of creamers.

With the coffee finally finished brewing, Abby filled her own mug. In an effort to reduce any further conversation with him, she avoided asking Harge to move so she could get a spoon and just took her mug and radio around the corner to go back to the dispatch office. To her surprise, Harge followed her, obtusely perching himself on the corner of her desk. His duty belt’s bulky items pushed her stapler and tape dispenser into a stack of papers, but Harge didn’t seem to notice. 

“Get the hell off my desk,” Abby told him. Harge stood and grabbed Jeanette’s rolling chair, spinning it around to face Abby before he settled in.

“I don’t know if I should tell you this if you’re already in such a bad mood,” he said smugly, sipping his coffee. He leaned back and propped his legs up on the edge of Abby’s desk.

Despite her irritation, which magnified after seeing the dirt-caked soles of his boots up on her desk, Abby let the infraction go because she was more interested in what he had to say. “Tell me what?”

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, buddy, but I think it's time for you to forget her.” He clearly wasn’t sorry.

“Forget whom?” She clearly knew who he was talking about.

“Carol,” Harge smirked, enjoying drawing out his tidbit of information.

A chill ran down Abby’s spine upon hearing Carol’s name come from his mouth. “What are you talking about?”

“I think you just need to give up, old girl. You lost. There’s no shame in that. You put up a good fight. Hell, who knows how many years you’ve invested in your venture. It’s probably time to move on anyway.” He grinned and then loudly slurped his coffee.

“What the fuck are you saying?” Abby hissed, cognizant of the door being open and other staffers possibly walking by and hearing.

“She’s got it bad for that girl. They took a late-night,  _ ro-man-tic _ bike ride,” he said, drawing out the word’s syllables. “ I saw their bikes, but they were nowhere to be seen. You gotta wonder what they were up to.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“That’s why you’re in my office bothering me? To tell me Carol took a bike ride?” Abby put her tape dispenser and stapler back in their original places and shuffled the papers into a neat stack again.

“I was over there the other day, too, at Carol’s house,” he added. “I’m talking to Carol, and out comes the girl from inside bringing her something to drink like a good little housewife.” He set his coffee on Jeanette’s filing cabinet and eyed her, waiting for her response.

Abby’s insides recoiled hearing this, but she kept her face calm. “Can you even hear yourself speak?

“What? That girl probably hasn’t slept in her tent for weeks. I’m sure they’re basically living together. Smoking hot blonde and a mattress versus a tent and the hard ground?” He held out his hands palms up and mimicked weighing the options. “I know what I’d choose.”

She wondered if Harge was right. Was Carol really so deep involved with Therese already? She and Carol hadn’t spoken since the night at the steakhouse. Maybe Abby was out of the loop. She needed to mend things with Carol. 

“So, you came to my office to interrupt my work with a bunch of conjecture?” Abby asked. “Don’t you have something better to do?”

Harge shrugged. “It’s a slow day, as you know; you’re on the radio, too. I just thought you should know that you’re basically out of the picture.” His thin lips spread into an ugly smile. “It’s time to give up and forget her, my little friend.”

Abby leaned forward and swiveled her monitor to the side so she had a full view of him. “First of all, you and I are not friends. Secondly, if I’m out of the picture, so are you, so I’m not sure why you’re so smug. Lastly, you need to stop.”

“Who said I’m out of the picture?” He dropped his feet to the floor and leaned forward conspiratorially. “I don’t plan on stopping. I’ve converted a lesbian before.” He winked at her and leaned back, proud of himself. 

“Converted a lesbian?” Abby scoffed.

“You know, brought her back from the dark side, recruited her to play for team sausage, showed her how to…”

“Enough,” Abby admonished, holding up her hand. “I understood you the first time. I just couldn’t believe you said it aloud.”

Harge chuckled and his lips turned up in a sleazy grin. “As far as I’m concerned, Carol’s little girlfriend can join in the fun, too.”

Abby shook her head and glared at him. “You’re disgusting.” She hadn’t planned to do it, and she wasn’t sure how Carol would react, but Abby went ahead and did it anyway. “That’s not what I meant when I said you need to stop.” She stood up and walked around her desk. She leaned down close to his ear. “Carol knows,” she whispered. She stood up and enjoyed watching first his confusion, then the color drain from his face. 

Harge shifted in his seat, his eyes darting around the room. “What do you mean?”

Abby smiled. “She knows about you and Gen.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, his eyes widening. 

“Oh, I think you do. The color of your face is as green as the mug you’re holding.” She moved toward the door and put her hand on the doorknob. “You know what, Harge? I didn’t have much respect for you before, and I certainly don’t have any for you now. Get out of my office.”

* * *

Abby wished Jeanette a good evening, then called Carol after she clocked out. Carol picked up on the second ring and sounded slightly out of breath.

“Hey, are you busy?” Abby asked, trying to sound upbeat.

“I’m just doing laundry,” Carol said. “Are you done?” Abby noticed Carol’s answers were short, and there had been no inquiry of how Abby was doing.

“Yeah, I just finished.” Abby forged ahead. “I saw on the schedule you are off this weekend. Do you want to go for a walk Saturday? I think we should talk.”

A short silence followed. “I can’t this weekend. I’m taking Therese to Coeur d’Alene for her birthday.”

It was worse than Abby thought. Abby had been to what Carol’s parents referred to as their “cabin”, but the large lakefront home with guest quarters, boathouse, beautifully landscaped gardens, and 90-foot cedar T-dock was a resort-level property minus bellhops and a concierge desk. It did, however, include a part-time chef, housekeeper, and groundskeeper who took care of the gardens as well as the lap pool and hot tub. Last Abby heard, Carol’s parents had added an infinity pool that overlooked the lake, but she had not been invited to visit since the renovation.

Before Abby could respond, Carol spoke again. “I’m free now if you want to go for a walk. We could walk around the lake.”

Abby considered it. She was tired and would have preferred going home, but if Carol planned to be gone all weekend, she didn’t want to put off their conversation. She did, however, want to change out of her uniform first. “Okay, what time? I need to change.”

“Just come over when you’re ready. I’m almost done with my laundry.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon.” Abby hung up. She had been hoping to have more time to think about what to say to Carol, but she didn’t want their little impasse to extend into next week. Abby hated it when Carol was at odds with her. It unnerved her to have the person she cared most about on this earth upset with her. Carol had never walked out on Abby as she had at the steakhouse. The sooner she and Carol could talk and smooth things over, the better. Plus, she needed to let Carol know what she had just told Harge. Abby hoped Carol would understand, or she faced the possibility that Carol might become even more irritated with her. 

Twenty minutes later wearing a fresh change of clothes, Abby pulled her RAV4 into Carol’s driveway. She climbed the front steps and let herself in with her key. 

“Hi!” she called. 

“Back here,” she heard Carol’s voice coming from the bedroom. Abby followed her voice and saw Carol placing folded clothing into an open dresser drawer. 

“I’m almost ready,” Carol said. “I just need to put on my shoes.” She sat down on the bed and bent down to put on her tennis shoes.

Abby lingered in the doorway, suddenly more nervous than she expected. Carol hadn’t even looked at her since her arrival and seemed more distant than ever. Abby realized she had more work to do to mend their relationship than she initially thought. 

Carol stood up and grabbed her keys from the top of her dresser. “Do you want to walk clockwise or counterclockwise around the lake?” Her blue eyes seemed cold.

Abby mulled it over. “Counterclockwise. The sun will be in our eyes for a shorter amount of time.” Carol wore a form-fitting white tank top and navy running shorts that showed off her golden skin, as if Abby needed more on her mind.

They turned left from Carol’s house and began walking around the northern part of the lake. Carol occasionally swung her ring of keys around her index finger, catching them in the palm of her hand. 

“I know you’re not happy with me,” Abby stated. When Carol didn’t contradict her, she continued. “I worry about you. You seem to be in over your head with Therese and not thinking clearly. Summer is eventually going to end, you know.”

“Don’t you think that conversation is one I should be having with Therese and not you?” Carol asked.

Mildly insulted but not deterred, Abby tried a different tact. “I know you’ve been unhappy since Gen died. I can understand how you would want to cling to a fleeting bit of happiness, but I don’t think you’re properly weighing the consequences.”

“Maybe so,” Carol agreed. Her seemingly careless and curt answer stung more than the sun in Abby’s eyes. This was not what Abby had expected.

“I don’t know if you understand how difficult it is as your friend having to sit and watch you go through this, knowing what lies ahead.”

Carol stopped and Abby turned back to face her. “As my friend? Friends are supportive of each other. You haven’t been supportive of Therese and me for one second.”

“That’s not true,” Abby argued, shaking her auburn ponytail side-to-side.

Carol stared at her, her expression unreadable. She started walking again. “Don’t think it went unnoticed that when you overheard Therese talking to her friends about her boyfriend, you neglected to tell me the part about her trying to break up with him.”

Abby scoffed. “What does it matter? She had/has a boyfriend - whatever. Isn’t that all you really needed to know?”

“I think you purposefully left it out because you knew how upset I would be.” Carol stopped again, forcing Abby to turn back. “You telling me that bit of information would have given me an indication of where she might have gone when she seemingly disappeared. It would have saved me so much worry and stress. I nearly professionally sabotaged myself.”

“What do you mean you nearly professionally sabotaged yourself?” Abby asked. She was glad they were walking side-by-side again because she didn’t realize Carol knew that she purposely withheld that piece of information. She felt her face flush, not only at Carol’s ability to see right through her, but at her unusually direct approach of calling Abby out on it.

“Therese played her part in the mess, but your omission could have cost me my job.” Carol’s walking speed increased, whether intentional or not. “Abby, I almost put an APB out on her that night. How would that have looked?”

Abby’s insides swirled sickly at Carol’s accusation. Had Carol been fired, what would have happened to the two of them? She had been lucky to land a job at the same park as Carol once, but chances did not look good for that happening a second time. At least the sun was no longer in her eyes as they reached the shaded side of the lake. She caught up to Carol, and they walked in silence for a minute or so.

“I’m sorry. I should have told you that part, too. It didn’t seem important at the time,” Abby lied.

“Well, it was. You’re my best friend, Abby. You’re supposed to have my back,” Carol said wistfully. 

"I do have your back,” Abby argued.

“It doesn’t feel like it at times,” Carol said sadly. 

“I had your back just today,” Abby said tentatively, stepping into the conversation as carefully as she would dip her toes into a cold pool. 

“Today? What happened today?” Carol asked, a quizzical look on her face as she glanced at Abby.

“Harge was in my office being his usual asshole self and saying crude things about you and Therese.”

“What kind of things?” Carol’s nostrils flared.

“Crude, Carol. Sexual. Like how he wouldn’t mind having sex with the two of you,” Abby said, hoping Carol wouldn’t ask for too many details about the earlier conversation. “He was going on and on, and I told him to stop. He asked why, and I told him because you knew about him and Gen.”

“What?!” Carol exclaimed, coming to a full stop. “You told him?” 

“I wasn’t really left with a choice, Carol,” Abby said, defending herself despite knowing she had willingly made the decision.

“You always have a choice, Abby,” Carol said. “I haven’t decided what I want to do with that information. Now that he knows I know, I’m forced to make a move before I’m ready.” Carol was steamed. “I’m going to have to deal with this next time I see him. I hope I don’t have any shifts with him between now and this weekend.”

“I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing by standing up for you,” Abby said.

“Abby, I just need you to take a step back.” Carol resumed walking.

The statement stunned Abby so much that Carol might as well have pushed her with both hands. Carol wanted her to step back? They were best friends. Abby wasn’t even sure how that worked. 

“I’m sorry,” Abby called out feebly as she jogged a few steps to catch up.

“I need you to let me live my life, even if sometimes I make choices that you wouldn’t necessarily make. Lately, I feel like you’re always on the verge of organizing an intervention for me. I’m a grown woman, and I need you to let me make my own decisions right now. This doesn’t mean we’re not still best friends or that I love you any less. I just need you to let me live life as I choose to live it right now.”

Carol looked at her but didn’t break stride. Abby didn’t understand and certainly didn’t plan to retreat to the shadows while that girl seduced the woman she loved, but she nodded in agreement anyway. She wasn’t about to make Carol any more annoyed with her than she already was.

“So do you have a plan for fall, for when Therese has to go back to wherever she came from?” Abby asked cautiously.

Carol shook her head in disbelief. “Whether I do or not is between Therese and me. This is what I’m trying to say.” Carol grabbed her hand and squeezed it briefly. “I need  _ you _ to stop worrying about it.”

Abby didn’t respond, but she knew that certainly wasn’t going to happen.

They approached Carol’s house again, its pale yellow sides visible in the distance. Every time Abby had opened her mouth within the last hour, it had turned out badly, so they walked in silence until Carol spoke. 

“I need my key back, please,” Carol said. “You have to understand, it was different when I was single.” She fiddled with her key ring. “Here is your spare key.”

_ When I was single. _ The evening continued to be a disaster, Abby thought, as she reluctantly pulled out her keys. She found Carol’s key and took it off her ring, severing a part of herself along with it. They exchanged keys. 

“You understand, right?” Carol said. 

“Sure.” Abby didn’t understand anything anymore. The summer that started with so much potential was turning out to be an absolute nightmare. 


	35. The Cabin

As she and Carol passed from Washington into Idaho, Therese gazed out the window at the Spokane River lazily meandering along the interstate and wondered what Carol planned to give her for her birthday. Therese guessed it would be a unique rock or small fossil like those found at ubiquitous roadside rock shops. From her experience, that seemed to be a safe, go-to gift for a budding geologist based on Therese’s past experience. Perhaps Carol would take her on a hike to see a cave in the area. It didn’t really matter. Therese was just happy to be with Carol. 

Carol helped her move campsites before they left for the weekend. Therese’s new site wasn’t very far from her last one. It was still adjacent to the cliffs with a decent amount of privacy. Therese left her valuables at Carol’s house.

The sun beamed down on Therese’s Subaru. Dry roadside grasses and scattered bunches of evergreens whizzed by. In the distance, pine-covered mountain ranges stretched in every direction. Carol drove the last leg since she was familiar with the winding road that edged around the lake and knew their destination.

It felt good to get out of the park. Therese hadn’t expected to find that she needed a reprieve, but the further they drove away from Sun Lakes, the freer she felt. She didn’t have to look over her shoulder for Abby or Harge. She and Carol could just be together without worrying about other people’s eyes on them.

She looked at Carol. Carol wore her hair down, something she did more and more. Therese loved how her blonde waves oozed femininity. With an elbow resting on her car door, her golden tan, and her oversized black sunglasses, she looked like a movie star who should be driving a fancy convertible down a palm tree-lined strip, not road-tripping through northern Idaho in a Subaru.

“I can feel you looking at me.”

Caught, Therese blushed. “I like looking at you.” Carol switched hands on the wheel and rested her hand on Therese’s thigh. 

They drove through the town of Coeur d’Alene, and Therese gasped when she saw the shimmering blue lake dotted with kayaks and motorboats. “It’s gorgeous!”

“That’s just one small part. The lake is 25 miles long.”

“Really?” Therese asked, finally dragging her eyes from the natural beauty outside her window. “How far are we going?”

“The cabin is about a third of the way down the lake, but we can take the boat as far as you like. It’s your birthday.”

Therese squeezed Carol’s hand and grinned. “I’d like that!” 

Carol turned south on Highway 97 and they began to traverse the eastern side of the lake. The road was curvy, following every jut and cove of the lake. Evergreens blanketed the landscape. Therese rolled her window down a few inches and their fresh, earthy smell wafted inside. Carol slowed down considerably for hairpin turns that often gave some of the best views. Finally, she signaled and turned down a paved driveway.

“Shit. Why is the gate open?”

“They usually shut it when they leave?” Therese asked.

“Always,” Carol responded, throwing the car into park and getting out to shut the gate behind them. The Subaru slowly crawled down the driveway to a huge house situated near the water’s edge. Built with more glass than wood, decks and balconies extended out from each side of the home. Therese noticed a few other outbuildings she assumed were part of the property. Thick woods on both sides separated the home from the neighbors. As they followed the road around the corner of the house, one of the two double garage doors stood open with a black Range Rover parked inside.

“You have to be kidding me,” Carol muttered. She pulled in next to it and parked.

“What’s going on?” Therese was suddenly worried. She couldn’t tell if Carol recognized the vehicle or not.

“My parents, who are supposed to be on a flight to New York, seem to still be here for some reason,” Carol said. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” Therese stayed glued to her seat. “Does that mean we can’t stay?”

“No,” Carol said, opening her car door. “It means my mother is curious and wanted to meet you. Again, I’m so sorry.” She gave Therese a wry smile.

Carol led her through the garage door into the cabin’s spacious kitchen. “Hello?” she called.

“Darling!” A woman who looked very much like Carol flew around the corner with her arms spread wide. Gray hair replaced blonde, but the stylish cut indicated the same wavy inclinations as Carol’s. Carol’s mother, impeccable in her fashionable clothing, was obviously one of those people who still dressed up for a flight. 

After hugging and kissing her mother, Carol inquired, “Mom, why are you still here? I thought your flight was at 11:00.”

“Your dad and I decided to leave a bit later. We haven’t seen you for months and didn’t know the next time we might have the chance, so we are going to catch a later flight.” The older woman turned from her daughter. “You must be Therese.” She hugged Therese as she had her daughter, then held her at arm’s length. “Carol didn’t tell me how beautiful you are.” 

Therese blushed. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Ross.”

“Call me Elizabeth, darling. Carol doesn’t tell me much, but I suppose that’s how it is with mothers and daughters.” She gave Carol a disapproving glance. “So, Gregory and I didn’t mind postponing our flight a few hours to meet the woman who has her so enraptured.”

“Mom...” Carol rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t worry, darling. We just wanted to say hello. I know you want to get on with your special birthday weekend. We will be out of your hair in two hours.” She turned to Therese. “Let me wish you a happy early birthday, sweetheart. Is it rude to ask how many years you will be celebrating?”

“MOM.” Carol shook her head.

Therese laughed. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be 25.”

“Hmmm. Twenty-five.” Carol’s mother wistfully sighed as she leaned back and studied her. “Oh, to be 25 again.” She gently touched Therese’s shoulder. “I hope you have a wonderful birthday. We think this place is a little slice of heaven. I hope you enjoy being here.”

“Thank you for letting us stay,” Therese said. “Your home is stunning.” She looked around the gleaming kitchen, the elaborate rock work of a large, custom fireplace, and the exposed wood of the vaulted ceiling in the living room. Beyond that, the sparkling blue waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene glimmered through a wall of windows.

“Carol and her friends are always welcome here. We’re mostly here in the summer but occasionally in the winter now that Gregory is retired. Carol, why don’t you give Therese a tour and settle in? I have a few more things to pack so your dad can bring my suitcase down. Let’s meet on the lower deck for light bites in say 20 minutes? I’ll ask Bernice to lay things out.” 

“Thanks, Mom.” Carol hugged her mother again. Therese could tell that Carol’s mom was reluctant to let go of her daughter. 

When she finally pulled away, she cupped Carol’s cheek. “You look well, darling.” She planted a kiss on her daughter’s cheek and left the room with the same flourish with which she had entered.

Carol turned to Therese and smiled. “One down, one to go.” 

They retrieved their bags from the Subaru, and Carol showed Therese the house on their way to Carol’s old room. Located on the middle floor, it had a view of the lake and a private bathroom. The deck outside Carol’s room extended around the house and featured a hot tub.

“It’s just a queen bed. I hope that’s okay. My parents have a king bed in their room, but I think sleeping in my parent’s bed would creep me out.” She came to Therese and pulled her close with hands on her hips. 

Therese laughed. “This is great. I’m fine sleeping anywhere as long as you are with me.”

“We could always sleep on the boat, too,” Carol offered. Her lips had wandered along Therese’s jawline.

“The boat? Didn’t you say your dad uses it for fishing?” Therese turned up her nose.

“Yes, he does.” Carol looked bewildered.

“I think I would sleep in your parent’s bed before I had to sleep in a boat covered in fish guts.” Therese’s eyes were large.

Carol laughed and kept laughing. She took Therese by the hand and walked to the glass sliding door. She pulled it open, and they stepped onto the deck. At the edge, Carol let go of Therese’s hand and pointed down toward the water. “That’s my dad’s fishing boat.”

Therese looked down. At the water’s edge perched what she assumed was a large, wooden boathouse. Her eyes followed an absurdly-long dock out into the sapphire-blue water. Moored at the end was a yacht. The white and black double-decked vessel must have been at least 40 feet long. “ _ Carolyn Elizabeth _ ” was painted in script across the stern. A man was making the long walk up the dock toward the house.

“That’s your dad’s fishing boat?” Therese asked, astonished.

“That’s where my dad escapes from my mom. Occasionally he will bring home a fish,” she joked. 

“Aw, he named his boat after you and your mom.” 

“Well, not really. Elizabeth is my middle name,” Carol said. 

“I didn’t know that,” Therese said thoughtfully. “That’s really sweet. You two must be close.”

“Hi, Dad!” Carol called out, waving. The man looked up, searching for his daughter. When he spotted them on the deck, he smiled widely and waved back.

“We can sleep on it?” Therese asked as they watched Carol’s dad enter the house.

“Yes, it has two staterooms with queen beds. We can spend all weekend on the boat if you want. It’s your birthday, baby.” 

Therese caught the endearment and turned to her, her eyes shining with excitement. She took Carol’s hands. “I just want to be with you. That is what makes me happy. I really don’t need anything else.”

Carol smiled and kissed her, one hand gently holding the back of Therese’s neck. Therese held her with arms around her waist. Breaking off the kiss with a quick peck, Carol said softly, “Summer isn’t going to last forever, you know. We need to talk about that.”

Therese rested her forehead against Carol’s shoulder. “Not this weekend, please. Can we just celebrate my birthday, enjoy being here, and not worry about the future?”

Carol kissed the side of her head. “We should talk about it. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”

“I know,” Therese said, her voice muffled. “But I don’t want to be sad or stressed out this weekend. I just want to enjoy being here with you.”

Carol contemplated Therese’s response. “We should go and join my parents. Our 20 minutes is nearly up,” Carol said. Releasing Therese, she went back inside, and Therese followed. Carol made her way to the mirror where she quickly ran her fingers through her hair. “Ready?”

Carol’s dad was already seated at a table with three plates of hor d’ oeuvres in the center. His hair may have been salt-and-peppered, but it was still thick. He wore shorts and a golf shirt and was in the process of opening a bottle of white wine. “Liz, the girls are here!” he called out to his wife. He stood and enveloped Carol in a giant hug. His blue eyes, reminiscent of his daughter’s, sparkled with adoration. “How’s my girl?” he asked.

“I’m fine, Dad. This is Therese.”

“Therese,” he extended his hand for a handshake, “it’s nice to meet you. We’re so happy Carol brought someone to the cabin. It’s been too long. It’s too big for only Liz and me to be enjoying it, especially when young people like you can make the most of it.”

“It’s lovely,” Therese said. “I’m excited to spend the weekend here.” They all sat down.

“Therese just saw your boat, Dad. I think she’s in love,” Carol said, teasing her. 

Therese blushed, and it was not her love for the boat that made her cheeks red.

“Ah, the  _ Carolyn Elizabeth _ ,” he said, turning to gaze down at his boat. “One of my three favorite girls. Vessels are always female, you know, Therese. I just fueled her up for you,” he told Carol. “It should get you through the weekend. I asked Oliver to stock her with some food and beverages, too.” He looked up as his wife swept out onto the deck.

“So sorry,” she apologized as she sat down. “I was talking to Bernice. She already bought all the items you asked for, Carol. You’ll find everything except the,” - she mouthed the word CAKE - “in the dining room.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Carol caught Therese’s eye and gave her a little wink.

Carol’s dad poured them each a white wine, but only poured himself a small amount. “I’ll save my drinking for the plane. I have to drive to Spokane in a bit,” he explained to Therese. They each filled their plates with chilled shrimp, deviled eggs, and crostinis with bruschetta. 

“Oliver will be around if you need any help with the boat. So will Bernice. I’m sure they won’t mind if you bother them. They’d love to see you,” Carol’s dad told her. He turned to Therese and explained, “They are our housekeeper and handyman, for lack of better terms. They live here on the property and keep it running, whether we are here or not. They’ve been with us since Carol was just a tyke.”

“Do you girls need anything else?” Carol’s mother asked. 

“I don’t think so, but if we do, we can drive into town or take the boat,” Carol said.

The couples exchanged more small talk while most of the food disappeared. When Carol’s dad excused himself to load the luggage into his vehicle, Carol’s mom began to gather the remaining food and dirty plates. Therese stood up, too.

“Here, let me help.”

“Do you mind if I run and tell Bernice hello and thank you?” Carol asked Therese. “I’ll be right back.”

“Of course not.” 

Therese followed Carol’s mother into the kitchen where she helped scrape plates into the garbage and consolidated the remaining food to be snacked upon later.

A gentle hand on her arm stopped her. She looked up to find Elizabeth staring at her.

“Carol… well, my girl has been through a lot, as you probably know.” Her eyes misted over.

Therese nodded solemnly, a box of plastic wrap held against her chest.

“The last couple of years have been so difficult for her and for us. Carol has been so far away.” Carol’s mother turned and stared out at the lake.

“You don’t get to visit her often?” Therese asked.

“We try.” Elizabeth sighed and turned back to Therese. “I don’t mean far away in terms of miles, sweetheart. She’s been so distant. Unreachable even.” Her eyes searched Therese. “Do you understand?”

Therese nodded again, realizing what Carol’s mother was trying to say. She saw how the sadness that enveloped Carol had extended beyond Carol herself.

“I’m usually the one to call her. When she called me...” Elizabeth’s voice cracked, and tears glistened in her eyes. “When she called and first told me about you, I heard something in her voice that I hadn’t heard in a very long time. When she called me the second time and asked if she could bring you here - you can ask Gregory - I cried for at least an hour afterward.”

Therese covered the older woman’s hand with her free one. 

“When she walked in here, I thought I was seeing things. She doesn’t even look like the same woman we saw the last time we visited her. She looks so vibrant and alive. She actually looks happy. When I see her look at you—” Elizabeth choked back a sob. “I don’t know if my heart can take it.”

Therese moved and gently wrapped her arms around Carol’s mother’s shoulders. “I feel the same way,” she softly confided.

“I just wanted to thank you for… well, for everything.” Carol’s mom kissed Therese’s cheek. “Now, give me that, sweetheart, and get out of here before Carol catches me crying.” She took the box of plastic wrap and shooed her away. 


	36. The Birthday

After Carol’s parents left for the airport, they headed down to the lakefront so Carol could give Therese a tour of the boat. They passed by the boathouse on their way to the shiny, five-year-old Meridian yacht. Glancing inside the boathouse, Therese spotted a pair of jet skis, a couple of bright yellow kayaks, and a beat-up metal dingy. 

Upon boarding the vessel, Therese looked up to see the enclosed pilot’s cabin. She imagined the views of the pristine lake were spectacular from the second level. 

“Do you know how to drive the boat?” Therese asked.

“Yes, I can pilot it,” Carol said, dropping her overnight bag at her feet and casually correcting Therese’s terminology. “Do you want a crash course in boating terms?”

“Sure.” 

Carol moved behind Therese and rested her chin on Therese’s shoulder. “This is the bow, and this is the stern,” Carol said, pointing to the front and back of the boat, respectively. “Port,” she pointed to one side, “and starboard,” and then the other. “Let’s go below.”

Inside, Therese admired all polished dark wood accents and the light streaming in all the windows. “I can’t believe how spacious it feels.” 

Carol took her hand. “This is one of the berths. We will probably sleep here.” 

The large bed was perfectly made. Therese felt like she was in a fancy hotel. The tour continued through the salon and dinette area. 

“It has a kitchen!” Therese exclaimed, noticing gleaming counters and stainless steel appliances.

“That’s the galley,” Carol explained. She gave Therese time to open doors and peer inside at fully-stocked cupboards and the refrigerator.

“This is one of the heads.” Carol opened a skinny door to reveal a small shower and toilet.

Therese followed Carol into the second stateroom in the bow of the boat. There wasn’t as much room to walk around the bed as there had been in the first berth due to the curvature of the boat’s hull at the bow. 

“Is this where your parents usually sleep?”

“This is where my dad sleeps if he sleeps on the boat. My mom says it makes her feel seasick.” She pulled Therese’s hand playfully. “Let’s go up,” Carol said.

Up in the pilothouse, Therese ran her hands over the two brown leather seats that sat side-by-side. “They’re like recliners.” 

“Yes, they’re really comfortable. Try it out if you like,” Carol offered.

Therese sat in the pilot’s chair. Carol sat down next to her. Therese looked out at the lake, sunlight glinting off of every wave and ripple. She turned her attention to the console in front of her. There were screens and buttons whose uses she didn’t understand. There was even a phone. She placed her hands on the shiny chrome wheel in front of her. She turned to find Carol smiling at her.

“I guess we know who will be piloting the boat this weekend,” Carol said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Your dad won’t care?” 

Carol shook her head. “Not at all. In fact, if you scratched it while docking it, he would gladly use it as an excuse to upgrade to the latest model.”

“Your parents have a lot of money,” Therese blandly stated.

Carol shrugged. “I guess so. They worked hard and were lucky enough to do well.”

“Do they help you out?”

Something flashed across Carol’s demeanor. Her chin lifted slightly as she answered. “They try. My parents paid for my education, something they always said they planned to do and something I greatly appreciate. However, I’ve been self-supportive ever since.” She turned from Therese to the view outside. “Of course, I’m allowed to stay here and use the house and boat whenever I like. In fact, I’m sure they wish I would come up here more.” She turned back to Therese. “I made decent money, and the park provides my housing. That enables me to save a large portion of my paycheck. My truck is paid off, so I don’t really have a lot of large expenses. My independence is important to me.”

“I didn’t mean to insinuate anything,” Therese said, letting go of the boat’s wheel.

“I know you didn’t. I just wanted to explain,” Carol said with a smile. “What do you think about a sunset tour of the lake?”

* * *

Therese dreamily drifted from her groggy state of sleep to semi-awake. The boat rocked gently, reminding her of where she was, but it was the hand lazily caressing the back of her upper thigh that had her attention. Behind her, she could feel Carol’s warm body against her. She could hear breathing close to her ear, and Carol’s breasts pressed into her back with every breath. She opened her eyes. In the dark, the blue LED clock in the stateroom read 3:17 am. She closed her eyes again and enjoyed the hazy sensation of Carol touching her.

Carol buried her nose in Therese’s hair at the back of her neck, and her fingers moved higher, reaching the intersection of Therese’s legs where one leg splayed in front of the other. Her body instantly alive, Therese moved her leg forward, giving up any pretense of being asleep, and Carol moved her hand into the available space and softly made an approving sound.

Therese stifled a gasp when Carol’s fingertips slowly circled through the wetness at her entrance. She rolled her body forward more, attempting to give Carol better access, but Carol’s fingers continued to patiently hover where they were. 

On the drive to the lake, Therese had reflected on their lovemaking. They had really started to find their groove. They quickly learned what the other liked, and the newness of their relationship meant that everything was still heightened. Therese had never experienced anything like it before in her previous relationships. There was something about Carol. Carol made every cell in her body sing. She needed Carol now.

Unable to exhibit anything resembling patience, Therese rolled onto her stomach and raised her hips into the air. She heard Carol whisper “Christ,” before shifting in the bed. Having lost contact with Carol’s hand when she moved, she flinched from surprise when Carol cupped and squeezed her ass before sliding her hand between Therese’s legs. Sliding her open hand forward against Therese, she slid against her with long, slippery strokes. She felt Carol’s lips and tongue on her back and neck. Carol’s other hand reached beneath her and caressed her breasts, pulling gently on each nipple before reaching lower. Therese gasped loudly with every breath and pleaded for more. Only stopping stroking her long enough to enter her, Carol resumed her two-handed approach, and it didn’t take long for Therese to be close. She pressed her forehead into the pillow that she gripped with two hands and pushed her hips into Carol. 

She tried to make it last, she really did. How she longed to keep Carol inside her, keep them moving together in synchrony, and keep them joined together as one. But everything felt so tight. When she realized Carol had three fingers inside her, her body clenched, froze, and then spasmed wildly as she hit her high. The pillow muffled her cry.

Carol removed one hand, but kept her fingers inside Therese, gently pushing them in and out until Therese descended back down. Therese felt Carol plant kisses along her lower back before extricating her fingers. 

She turned Therese over, sweaty strands clinging to Therese’s forehead and cheek. Carol gently brushed Therese’s hair back from her face and kissed her between gasps. “Happy Birthday, baby.”

* * *

They spent most of the weekend on the boat. When they weren’t cruising the lake or diving off the back of the Meridian into the refreshing waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene, Carol and Therese spent time down below in one of the gorgeous wood-paneled staterooms, tangled up with each other.

Carol brought the items she had asked Bernice to purchase onto the boat. They celebrated Therese’s birthday with a tiramisu cake, a bouquet of fresh lilies, and an expensive bottle of champagne before dropping anchor and falling into each other's arms again. Therese wondered why she had even bothered to pack extra clothing. She had spent most of the time in her swimsuit or nothing at all. In fact, she smiled to herself as she realized just about every time she put her swimsuit on, it wasn’t long before Carol’s nimble fingers were pulling it off of her and dragging her back to the berth - or the couches in the salon - or wherever they ended up as they frantically reached for each other. What opportunities they might have missed earlier in the summer, they feverishly tried to make up for on their weekend away.

Aftershocks still rang through Therese’s insides as she sat on the edge of the bed and tied her swimsuit top behind her back. Carol had already put hers back on, and Therese wondered why she was rummaging through her overnight bag.

“What are you looking for?” Therese asked. “I think the sunscreen is in the salon.” With a bow tightly tied at her spine, she adjusted the straps over her shoulders.

“I was looking for this,” Carol said, standing up and turning around. She held out a small white box tied with a simple mint-green fabric bow. “It’s not much. I wanted to give you something for your birthday that was meaningful,” Carol explained as Therese took the box from her. She sat next to Therese at the end of the bed.

“You’ve already done so much for me.” Therese pulled one end of the bow and slid it off the box. Suddenly she felt her heart race and blood pound in her ears. Expecting a perfectly-chosen rock or tiny fossil, she still found she was nervous to open it. Lifting the lid, a solitary item gleamed against the cotton batting beneath it. Therese picked it up, and her smile so broadly that her dimples didn’t have a chance of hiding.

“It’s a key.” She looked up a Carol with surprise and adoration.

“Yes, to my house.” Carol smiled, too, then laughed in surprise when Therese threw her arms around her neck. They kissed, neither and both initiating it, lips already swollen and chafed from the weekend’s previous activities. Their bodies easily came together.

“Thank you,” Therese whispered between kisses. 

“It’s just so you can do your laundry,” Carol joked and earned a playful swat.

“What laundry? Every time I put clothing on, you take it off of me,” Therese retorted. With impeccable timing, Carol pulled, and the knot of Therese’s swim top suddenly went slack against her back.


	37. The Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the 1000+ kudos. I don't know how this story is still getting kudos or where you all are coming from, but thank you. <3

The escape from reality that Carol and Therese enjoyed on Lake Coeur d’Alene ended too soon. On the drive back to the park, they discussed what Carol should do about the new information concerning Harge. Therese was livid when she found out that Abby told Harge that Carol knew about the affair. While Carol hated to think that her boss might have something to do with Gen’s death, Therese insisted the fire investigators should be given all the information, and Carol reluctantly agreed. 

Had Gen and Harge's illicit affair soured? Did Harge have regrets and wanted to end it? Perhaps Gen had planned to tell Carol, and Harge felt that Carol knowing would threaten his position and hopeful ascension in the ranks of the park system. While Carol ultimately knew she would never know all the details, she agreed that the authorities should have all the facts in a suspicious death case. Even if Harge wasn’t responsible, Carol had little sympathy for him if he had to spend a few hours being grilled by investigators. 

Carol noticed when the last work schedule was posted that she and Harge had no shifts together. She wondered if it was intentional. She certainly didn’t mind not spending time with the man. However, since Abby had opened her mouth about Carol knowing of the affair, Carol knew a conversation with Harge had to happen sooner or later. Avoiding each other forever wasn’t an option.

Unfortunately, it happened sooner rather than later.

Carol had noticed that one of the taillights on her work truck was out. Even though it was her day off, she decided to get a new bulb and take care of the issue since her next shift would be a night shift. She parked in the empty lot outside the service shed that was used as a supply room and vehicle garage. Unlocking the door, she noticed the lights on the closest half of the building were on. 

“Hello?” she called. Harge Aird stepped out from between two shelves. He was holding a cardboard box and similar boxes sat on the floor in the aisle around him. 

“Aren’t you off today?” he asked, surprised to see her.

“I just need a replacement bulb. My taillight is out,” Carol said. “I didn’t see your vehicle.”

“Tommy dropped me off. The fan belt on my truck is trashed. I’m trying to see if we have any spares. He had to go respond to a call. Somebody needs a gate unlocked.” 

Carol would have known all of this if she had her radio on or even with her. Since meeting Therese, she had been able to separate herself from it more and more.

She quickly found the spare bulbs hanging on the pegboard, and took one, signing it out on an inventory clipboard that hung on the wall. She could have left then and probably would have, but Harge opened his mouth from a few rows over.

“Where’s your hot little girlfriend today? I have to say, I can’t blame you for liking that. Damn, those itty-bitty shorts she wears...”

Carol reacted instinctually, not mincing words, the sentence flying from her mouth before she realized it. “Wasn’t sleeping with one of my girlfriends enough?” Her voice rang out icily in the spacious warehouse. 

Silence followed. Harge stepped out into the aisle. His eyes were cold and dark. His low, serious voice lacked any of the humor he had exhibited before.

“Tsk-tsk. You shouldn’t pay attention to every rumor you hear, Carol. You know Abby likes to meddle and cause conflict just so she has something to gossip about.”

“Actually, I know it’s not a rumor. You gave yourself away, Harge. You weren’t very careful.” Carol held her ground although fear seeped through her, a line of nervous sweat trickling down her spine from her bra strap to her waist.

Harge took a few steps down the aisle toward her. It dawned on Carol that perhaps an isolated service shed wasn’t the best place to have this conversation. She suddenly realized the gravity of the situation, and snippets from her training came back to her:  _ Be smart. Don't let yourself get cornered in a bad situation. Men are almost always bigger, faster, and stronger.  _

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I should sue you for slander.” He stepped around the pile of cardboard boxes.

Carol moved towards the closed door, her only means of escape. “Go ahead, but you’ll probably be too busy explaining yourself to the fire investigation team and the State Park Director. I’m sure he’ll be interested to know you were sleeping with a subordinate.” 

She chastised herself for venturing into such a dangerous position. Harge was in uniform and armed, and Carol was suddenly very aware of his gun and his physique, much bigger than hers. She wore a t-shirt and shorts and only had her set of keys and a miniature light bulb in her hand. She glanced around for anything she might be able to use as a weapon if it came to that. There was nothing within reach except for an eight-foot ladder resting on hooks on the wall.

His demeanor changed. He smiled sweetly, but even in the fluorescent lighting, the smile did not reach the dark, unreflective pools of his eyes. “Hey, there’s no need for all that. We’re friends, Carol. How about you and I just talk about this and figure things out? I’m sure there’s an explanation for everything. Why don't you come here.” He reached out for her arm, but she stepped back, spinning from his grasp, and grabbed for the door handle behind her. 

In a split second, she weighed whether she should say the words that were forming on her tongue or just bolt from the shed. Images swirled in her brain: beautiful Gen - Gen and Harge - Gen burned and dead. Throwing caution to the wind, she went ahead and said it. “I’ve already talked to the fire investigator.” Harge’s eye grew wide, leaving his pupils alienated against the surrounding white. His right arm shot out.

At the same moment, the handle was suddenly yanked from her hand, and the door flew open. Startled and jerked sideways, Carol lost her balance, falling toward the sunlight streaming through the open door. Someone's hands reached out to help her regain her footing. 

“Hey, easy there, Carol! What are you doing here on your day off?” Tommy asked.

Carol squinted against the bright sunlight. “I needed a bulb.” She held up the packaged bulb and hoped her hand wasn’t shaking. Tommy looked between her and Harge.

“Sorry, if I interrupted som-”

Carol cut him off. “You didn’t. I was just leaving.” She pushed past him, exiting the building without looking back.

* * *

Irate, Therese paced back and forth in Carol’s living room. 

“That man! Maybe you should have actually talked to the fire investigator before you said that! What if something had happened to you?” She stopped and put her hands on her hips. Carol would have said something about how adorable she looked had Therese not been so upset.

“My adrenaline was running high. I just reacted to protect myself,” Carol said in explanation. “I thought that maybe if Harge thought they already knew, he would realize threatening me was useless and he would back down.”

“Should we call the police?” Therese asked.

“To tell them what?” Carol responded. “Technically he didn’t do anything. He didn’t threaten me. He didn't even touch me. If the fire investigators think something criminal happened, they will take care of things.” Therese continued to pace. Carol walked over to Therese and put her hand on her shoulders. “Calm down,” she said. “I’m fine. I knew that even if something happened to me, you knew, and you would have made sure the information reached the correct people.”

Therese scoffed and looked away. “That’s a terrible way of thinking.”

“But you would have, wouldn’t you?” Carol asked, craning her neck to try to make eye contact with Therese’s watery green eyes.

“Yes,” Therese mumbled, dropping her arms to her sides, “but I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Good,” Carol said, squeezing her upper arms. “Me either. I promise that I won’t put myself in situations like that again.”

* * *

“Mr. Haymes, thank you for returning my call.” Carol leaned on one end of the sofa, legs crossed, as her eyes met Therese’s across the room.

“Carol, you know you can call me Fred.” Fred Haymes had been the Grant County Fire Marshall for seven years. His team had performed the investigation around Gen’s death. “How are you getting along?” Hearing his deep, burly voice caused his image to pop into Carol’s mind - African American, around 50 years old, trim and fit, and bald. She remembered photos of his granddaughters sitting next to snapshots of him with his buddies during his tour in Iraq when she had gone to have her statement taken in his office.

Watching her make the call, Therese anxiously hesitated in the doorway until Carol patted the sofa next to her. Sitting down on a cushion beside her, Therese leaned into her as Carol put her arm around the younger woman’s shoulders. With her head pressed against Carol’s chest, Therese listened to the accelerated heartbeat within as she took in one side of a conversation.

With inquiries about granddaughters made and pleasantries put aside, Carol quickly got to the reason for her call. “Fred, I have some news that may concern you about Genevieve Cantrell.”

Therese closed her eyes, eavesdropping on a conversation in which she felt like an intruder, someone who had not existed in that time and place. She had not been a part of Carol’s life then, but she was now. Did that give her the right to listen in to details of an event that had occurred long before she met Carol? Carol had asked if Therese would stay with her when she called, so Therese had agreed. If Therese’s presence meant making a small part of life easier for Carol, she would happily oblige.

“If you recall, in my statement I reported that I believed that Gen was having an affair due to a phone and a text I found a few weeks prior to her death.” Carol’s words flowed so confidently, but Therese could hear the pounding heartbeat that betrayed what was happening inside. “Do you need time to review her case? You can call me back after you have looked at the file.” Fred must have remembered because Carol continued. “More details have surfaced regarding this, and I thought you should have that information.”

Carol went on to tell Fire Marshall Haymes about Therese, mentioning her relationship with Therese and accepting his kind remarks for the positive upswing in her life. Then Carol brought up Therese’s initial conversation with Harge, summing it up generally so that Therese herself could give him the full picture. When Carol asked if he wanted to speak with Therese, Therese sat up and extended her hand for the phone, but Carol shook her head. “I see. Of course. I’m sure she would be happy to speak with you in person. She leaves the week after Labor Day.” Therese remained sitting up, Carol’s arm still around her shoulders. “Let me check my schedule and see which afternoon she is free, too. I can call you back or text you times tonight.”

Therese looked up at Carol, and Carol shifted on the arm of the sofa and squeezed Therese’s shoulder. “There’s one more thing, Fred.” Carol quickly told him about Harge seeing their bicycles and recognizing Carol’s bike. “I don’t know how he would ever have seen my bicycle before.” 

After a few mmm-hmms and okays, Carol ended the call. Therese moved to the center of the sofa, and Carol slid into the vacant spot. She tenderly held Therese’s hand. “Fred said there is enough new information to merit him reopening the case and at least asking more questions. He wants to speak with both of us in person some afternoon next week. I’m sorry. I asked if you could do it over the phone, but he said he preferred to do it in person. That way, he can try to interview Harge, too. I guess Harge Aird isn’t very good at returning Fire Marshall Haymes’ phone calls, so Fred prefers to drop in on him.”

Therese nodded. “I don’t mind. Any day works for me. Just let me know which day is best for you.” 

“Thank you.” Carol saw a fiery light pass over Therese. 

Therese scowled. “I don’t like Harge Aird.”


	38. The Waiting

“Abby, I am so glad to be done with this shift!” Louise barged into the dispatch office, releasing her hair from the bun that had been tight against the nape of her neck. She undid the top two buttons of her uniform and flopped in Jeanette’s chair. “Why is Harge being such an asshole lately? I mean more than usual.” 

Abby turned from her monitors, but ignored the question, asking one of her own instead. “What did he do?”

“He’s just being more ‘Harge’ than usual if you know what I mean - citing motorists for doing 17 miles per hour in a 15 miles per hour zone, sniffing the contents of every teenager’s soda can, writing noise ordinance citations like he has a quota to fill. He’s embarrassing. Campers won’t have any respect for us if we go around acting like Nazis.” She signed her timesheet with a flourish and dropped it into the bin on the wall. She sat back down and crossed her legs. “You know me. I’m the ‘catch-more-flies-with-honey’ type. I usually just have a nice little chat with folks and they comply. He’s taking this job to the extreme. Why do men have to flaunt their power?”

“Maybe because he has none?” Abby offered, and Louise laughed. “Do any of the rangers respect him?”

Louise shook her head, her hair swinging freer. “Nah, except maybe Tommy because of his military background. Even then, I think it’s more of a habit than actual respect, instilled deference to the hierarchy and all that.”

It gave Abby no small amount of glee to know the stress was getting to Harge. “You reap what you sow,” she said, not intending for the words to be spoken aloud.

“What?” Louise asked, confused.

“Oh, nothing,” Abby said. 

“When does Carol’s girlfriend leave?” Louise asked, onto a new subject as she ran her hands through her hair. Abby suddenly had enough of the chitter-chatter and hoped Louise would take her leave soon.

A radio message interrupted the unwanted conversation, but it gave Abby a few moments to try and downplay her interest in the matter.

“Sorry, what?” she asked, turning back to Louise.

“I was just asking about Carol. When does her girlfriend leave?”

“Oh, I’m not sure,” Abby said, glancing at her cell phone in hopeful disinterest. “Around Labor Day, I think.”

“Do you think she’s going to be okay?” 

Normally fine dishing a juicy bit of gossip, Abby had zero interest in having this conversation with Louise, but she could think of no way to dodge it without drawing attention to herself. “What do you mean?”

Louise shrugged. “I don’t know. They seem pretty serious. I know she planned a special birthday weekend for her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Carol so happy - she practically glows - and now her girlfriend has to leave. I wonder what they’re going to do. I like Therese. She’s really pretty. They make a gorgeous couple. Plus, Carol has been through so much already. It makes me sad.” Louise put on her sad face, more akin to an emoji with a pink, pouty lip than actual sadness.

It all made Abby sick. Were Carol’s feelings for Therese so intense that others could see it? “Well, Carol knew in the beginning that it had to end sometime.”

“Maybe they can try to do the long-distance thing,” Louise pontificated, pulling her shirttails from her waistband and slouching back again. “Or maybe Carol will decide to move to wherever Therese is from.”

Abby wasn’t about to let Louise’s last statement slide. “Carol will never leave this park.” She picked up a large paperclip she found sticking out from beneath her keyboard. 

“You don’t think so?”

Abby shook her head. “No, Carol loves this park more than life itself.” She bent the paperclip into an S-shape.

“Really? It’s so hot here,” Louise said, making a face. “I really wanted a position at one of San Juan islands, but I ended up here.” She sounded less than enthused about the outcome. “Oh, well. I shouldn't complain. It pays the bills.” 

Abby reluctantly contributed to the conversation. “Carol decided she wanted to work here back when we were in college. I don’t know what happened. A group of us camped here one summer, and she fell in love with the place. It was all she could talk about, all she thought about. She put every effort into getting a position here when we graduated, and she got lucky. I ended up working at Craters of the Moon in Idaho for a short time, but when a dispatcher position opened up here, she put in a good word for me and brought me over.”

“What? You had a national parks job, and you decided to work here?” Flabbergasted, Louise sat forward, her mouth hanging open. “You must like Carol a lot to give that up.”

Abby fidgeted but said nothing. She wondered how many times she could bend the paperclip before it snapped.

“Just about everybody I know wants to work in a national park. Harge would probably kill for a gig at a national park,” Louise lamented, long having overstayed her welcome, but seemingly unaware of the fact. She giggled. “Can you imagine him in the hat? At least we don’t have to wear those here,” she said, referring to the iconic National Park Service’s broad-brimmed ranger hats.

Abby managed a cursory laugh. She had never wished so hard for some radio traffic to interrupt a conversation, but Louise finally decided on her own to leave. 

“I need a nap,” she announced, standing up. She tucked her shirt back in for the short walk to her truck. “I’ll catch you later.”

Abby tried to bend the paperclip into its original formation as she reflected on her conversation with Louise. Of course, she had followed Carol to Dry Falls years ago. She would have followed Carol anywhere. Watching Carol drift away as she watched helplessly this summer had been indescribably difficult. However, whatever Carol was feeling for Therese - Abby wasn’t about to use the word  _ love _ \- didn’t matter in the end. She truly believed what she had told Louise: Carol loved the park. That simple fact allowed Abby to sleep at night. While it felt like Carol was slipping further and further away, Abby knew Carol would not leave her dream job, nor her best friend, especially for some girl a decade younger who was still in college. Abby just needed to bide her time and ride this thing out. Already sick of waiting for the summer to end, her only solace lay in the fact that Therese would eventually leave - thank God - and life could return to normal. Maybe it would lead to something better for her and Carol. 

She gave up on the stubborn paperclip that refused to conform to its original shape. Abby tossed the bent clip into the trash can, metal-on-metal creating a loud ping.

* * *

They waited.

Carol and Therese reclined on the dock, Therese’s head in Carol’s lap. The gentle splash of the rippling waves against the pilings was comforting. Darkness had fallen. It wouldn’t be long now.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Carol asked, noticing Therese's mind somewhere far away, the younger woman's brows furrowed. She ran her fingers through Therese’s hair. 

Therese sighed loudly and looked away. “You know what I’m thinking about.”

“Yes, I do,” Carol answered solemnly, and briefly paused, “but I don’t think the Mariners have what it takes to win the World Series this year.”

Therese giggled, but her smile quickly faded. “Are we going to talk about it?”

“We can,” Carol said, nodding, although part of her wanted to bury her head in the sand and hope the situation went away.

“It makes me sad,” Therese said. “I don’t want to leave.”

“I don’t want you to leave either,” Carol admitted. Her eyes left Therese and scanned the sky above. “Here’s how I see it,” she said after some reflection. “We can both be sad and mope around for your last few weeks here, or we can make the best of it. I think we should live life to the fullest and enjoy the time we have together as much as humanly possible.”

Therese was silent. Carol continued to run her fingers through her hair, lulling her into a false sense of peace and security. Finally, Therese spoke. “Yes, I guess that’s best.” 

She wondered if Carol was as frightened about the summer ending as she was. What would they do come fall? Autumn playfully hid around a corner like a young child in the classic children’s game, toes peeking out from beneath a curtain and readily seen by anyone seeking. Leaves had started to fall from the deciduous trees in the campground. Therese heard them occasionally drop on her tent, the brittle plop and scratch as they slid down, a reminder of what lay ahead, the sound like nails on a chalkboard to her ears. Nights had become cooler, forcing the use of her sleeping bag as a blanket and not just a comfortable mattress pad. She had noticed the sun setting earlier, too, now gone shortly after 8:00 pm. 

Beneath the cloudless sky, they waited. With eyes focused on the heavens above, Therese wished she was filled with bravery like the sky was with stars. She wanted to breathlessly ask Carol to come with her. Her apartment was small, but the two of them could manage. Even so, she knew how much Carol loved her job and the park. How could she ask her to leave that behind? What if Carol said no? Could Therese even handle the rejection? She didn’t even know if there were jobs for Carol in Seattle. Did metropolitan cities like Seattle even have state parks? Could she ask the woman she loved to give up everything - her job, her home, her friends, maybe even her career - for her when Carol had already lost so much? What did Therese even have to offer? She had little money since most of what her father had left her had been used to help pay for her education. She hadn’t finished her degree. She didn’t even have a job. Other than a shabby one-bedroom apartment and her feelings, there was nothing.

Therese wondered if all of this had already occurred to Carol. Perhaps that’s why Carol suggested simply enjoying the time they had. Maybe Carol already knew it wasn’t meant to last. Had it just been a summer fling to Carol after all? Did Carol prefer the comfort of what she knew to the frightening idea of upturning her life to live somewhere else? Maybe what they had, the fire between them, burned too bright, destined to flame and flash before quickly fizzing out like a Fourth of July sparkler. Therese felt the stinging urge to cry and pushed it aside. She attempted to focus on the stars above. 

“There!” she suddenly exclaimed, pointing excitedly, the distraction welcome. “Did you see it?”

“I did,” Carol answered happily, squeezing her shoulder. 

“What’s the name again?” Therese asked. They had been waiting to spot the evening's first falling star.

“The Perseid meteor shower.”

“Tonight is the best night?” 

“Oh! There’s another one,” Carol said, pointing. “Yes, tonight is best. Well, truthfully, early mornings are actually better viewing.”

“I hate early mornings,” Therese bemoaned.

“I know you do. That’s why we’re watching now,” Carol said, laughing as she bent and kissed Therese’s forehead. “Didn’t your parents ever take you out to watch a meteor shower when you were a kid?” Carol asked. The long, drawn-out silence immediately alerted her the answer was neither short nor simple.

“My dad, he raised me by himself,” Therese said quietly. “My mother died giving birth to me.”

“Therese,” Carol whispered. “I’m so sorry.” She stroked the younger woman’s hair. Carol watched her face as Therese stared up at the sky, her eyes unseeing, lost in thought.

Carol took the broken-hearted young woman’s hand in her own. “I didn’t know women still died in childbirth.”

“Have you heard of placenta previa?” Therese looked up at Carol. Carol shook her head. “It’s when the placenta covers the cervix. It sometimes causes bleeding and hemorrhaging. The mortality rate of mothers with placenta previa is around 1%, and my mom happened to be in that 1%.”

Carol stayed silent, allowing Therese to continue if she desired. She noticed a falling star near the horizon but didn’t point it out. 

“I always wondered if never knowing your mother was worse than having a mother and then losing her,” Therese said. “When my dad died during my freshman year in college, I realized it’s apples and oranges. Both ways hurt, just differently.” 

“Oh, Therese.”

“There’s another one.” Therese pointed to a spot in the sky, but her voice lacked her prior enthusiasm. Carol had not seen the momentary streak.

“May I ask how he died?”

“He was riding his bike on Mercer Island and got hit by a car two weeks before the end of the quarter. They said he died at the scene and didn’t suffer. At least there was that.” She was silent for a minute or two before she continued. “My dad got me interested in rocks. He traveled a lot for work, and whenever he visited a different place, he brought a little rock back for me. Most of my rock collection is from him.”

“That’s very sweet. He would be so proud to see you now, his daughter the geologist, the woman you have become.” Therese squeezed Carol’s hand and brought their entwined hands to rest on her sternum.

They watched the streaking orbs fall from the sky, burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere in a bright, glowing arc. After 20 or so, they stopped counting and just watched in silence, hand in hand. After an hour had passed, Carol looked at Therese, now sitting next to her on the dock. 

Overcome by what Therese had shared with her and the beauty she had just witnessed with the woman she loved, Carol quietly whispered, “I’m so happy we were able to share this. There is no one in the entire world I would rather be with right now.” 

Therese turned toward her, looping her arms around Carol’s neck, eyes searching for contact and connection, not shooting stars, for what she felt with Carol was even more breathlessly exhilarating. Carol wrapped her arms around Therese’s back, just above the small taper of her waist. With bodies suddenly soft and pliant, their torsos pressed together just before their lips met in a soft kiss.  
  
  
  
  



	39. The Holiday Weekend

“I just need your signature on this document,” Fred Haymes said, pulling a sheet of paper from a green folder and sliding across Carol’s table to Therese. “It just states that you and I talked today and that I took notes based on your statement. There is also an area for you to write down your contact information should we need a more formal, recorded statement from you in the future.” ****

"Like a deposition," Therese finished. Fred nodded his head in confirmation. ****

Therese had been watching Carol during her conversation with Fred. Carol had offered to leave the two of them alone to speak, but the Grant County Fire Marshall said that wasn’t necessary. Still within earshot from where they sat at the dining room table, Carol retreated to the kitchen. Out of Fred’s view, but not out of Therese’s, Carol stood in front of the kitchen sink, gazing out the window into the backyard. Anyone else might have thought she looked serene as she enjoyed the view, but Therese could see how Carol gripped the edge of the sink with both hands. ****

“Carol?” Fred called. Startled, Carol quickly joined them in the dining room again with a forced smile. ****

“As I said on the phone, there’s certainly enough new information to reopen the case and at least ask more questions. I don’t know how far we will get. Unfortunately, it’s a ‘he said/she said’ situation, but it’s worth a try. However, with Gen’s alternate cell phone destroyed, and without any kind of other concrete evidence coming to light, there might not be much we can do.” ****

Carol nodded, understanding the predicament even if she disagreed with it. The fire marshall unfolded his muscular body from Carol’s chair and courteously pushed it back under the table. ****

“I’m leaving one of my cards for each of you. Please call me if you remember anything else or something else comes up. I’m heading over to talk to Harge as soon as I leave here. I will keep you posted.” ****

“Thank you, Fred.” Carol shook his hand before he turned to Therese. ****

“Ms. Belivet, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

* * *

Once again, Carol used her magical powers and a last-minute cancellation to move a few reservations around so Dannie and Phil could stay at the campsite next to Therese’s for Labor Day weekend. ****

The brothers arrived late while Carol worked her final shift of the weekend. Therese and the two guys played a few hands of gin rummy and drank some Portland microbrews that Phil brought. Dannie filled Therese in on his ongoing long-distance relationship with Melanie from Olympia. He asked her to come along, but Melanie had to work. Around 1:00 am, Therese said goodnight. She planned to get a few hours of work done during the cooler morning hours and needed to get some sleep. ****

When Therese returned from her morning shower, Dannie was just crawling out from his tent. He dragged his gangly form and disheveled hair over to flop in one of her camp chairs. ****

“What are you doing up so early?” Therese asked, expecting the brothers to sleep until at least noon. ****

“I thought I might tag along with you this morning, that is, if you don’t mind having some company? I could take notes for you, or help you carry some of your gear.” He looked at her with sleepy, hopeful eyes. ****

“You’re welcome to join me. Everything I have fits in my small backpack, but thank you for the offer. It’s not like I’m dragging a pickax behind me.” Therese chuckled. “Want a breakfast bar?” Dannie held his cupped hands like a basket in front of his chest, and Therese tossed a bar to him. ****

“Give me five minutes to change?” he asked as he tore one end of the wrapper open with his teeth. ****

“Sure.” Therese slid her camera, a bottle of water, and her notebook into her bag.

* * *

After getting a crash course in fossil hunting, Dannie provided a valuable extra set of eyes for Therese. They scoured the cliffs that wrapped around Red Alkali and Green Alkali Lakes, carefully making their way along the talus slopes. He stayed close by, chatting now and then when he saw she wasn’t taking notes. He asked intelligent questions, and Therese appreciated having some company while she worked. Already in the lower 80s, the temperature continued to rise, making Dannie grateful for the extra bottled water Therese had packed. It didn’t take long for the conversation to turn from rocks and fossils to more personal matters. ****

“Are you excited to finish your thesis?” Dannie asked. “You’ve put so much work into it.” ****

“Oh, for sure,” Therese said, stowing her camera after taking a photo of a particularly interesting section of strata. “To be honest, all the grad students call it a thesis, but the department refers to it as a ‘written technical report.’” She looked at him and rolled her eyes. “It’s basically a thesis. We have to write that, pass an oral comprehensive exam, and defend our written report in a final presentation in order to graduate. But, yes, I can’t wait to get home and finish writing it.” Therese stilled as if a cold wind blew through the canyon and she had to steel herself against it. A frown replaced the excitement on her face. “Actually, as much as I’m excited to wrap up my thesis, I dread going home.” She stared unseeing down into the canyon. ****

Dannie reached over and pulled his bottle of water from the mesh pocket on the side of her backpack. “Carol?” ****

Therese nodded. ****

“Have you and Carol talked about what you are going to do?” ****

Therese shook her head. “Not really. We talked about just trying to enjoy the time we had together.” ****

“You could always do the long-distance thing,” Dannie suggested. ****

“How is that going for you and Melanie?” Therese asked, raising an eyebrow. ****

Dannie shrugged, screwing the cap back on his water bottle. “I guess it’s better than nothing, but it sucks if you want me to be honest. Talking to her on the phone or texting isn’t the same as being with her. We don’t see each other very often. I miss her.” ****

“That’s what I thought.” Therese exhaled. ****

“Have you given any thought to asking her to go with you?” ****

“I have thought about it, but don’t think I could take the rejection when she says no. Carol adores this park and what she does here as much as I adore what I do. It wouldn’t be fair. I love her too much to ask her to give up what she loves.” Therese slowly shook her head out of frustration. ****

Dannie decided not to press further. “That’s quite the conundrum, Belivet.” He shoved his water bottle back into the side of her backpack before tugging the bag off her shoulder. “It’s my turn. I’ll be your packhorse for a bit.”

* * *

Once Carol had logged a few hours of sleep, the foursome spent the afternoon at the lake. That evening, sun-soaked and buzzed from day drinking, Carol and Therese humored the brothers with a game of mini-golf after Phil convinced everyone to toss back shots of tequila beforehand. Carol and Dannie both blamed their poor performances on too much sun and alcohol after Phil won handily with Therese coming in a distant second place. As they drank and played cards in Carol’s backyard until late, Therese kept interjecting, “Do you remember the time Carol lost her ball in the pond?” or “Do you remember when Carol lost her ball inside the windmill?” to raucous laughter until Carol politely asked her to help her bring out the brownies and more beers. ****

Therese followed Carol through the back door into the kitchen. Carol continued past the kitchen into the living room. ****

“Where are you going?” Therese asked. As she came around the corner, Carol spun her around and pressed her up against the wall, kissing her so fiercely it made her legs tremble. Carol’s tongue slid against hers, warm and inviting. Therese grasped Carol’s hips for support as her body responded right on cue. ****

“Carol.” Therese’s voice quivered. ****

Warm breath near her ear whispered, “Are you sure you want to continue to make fun of my mini golf game?” She pecked Therese on the cheek and disappeared through the doorway to the kitchen. ****

Shaking her head with a reluctant grin, Therese caught her breath before joining everyone in the backyard. All eyes were on her as she descended the few stairs toward the table where everyone sat. Carol unwrapped a plate of brownies. ****

“Sweetheart, where are the beers?” Carol innocently asked. ****

Therese felt her cheeks warm, certain she was blushing. “Oh, I forgot.” She watched Dannie and Phil lunge at the plate of brownies. ****

“Forgot? What were you doing?” She could see the corner of Carol’s mouth curve up in a sly smile, and she gave Therese a quick wink. ****

“I got sidetracked,” she lied, in disbelief at Carol’s antics. ****

Carol gave a low chuckle. “Hurry up. These brownies are delicious.” Carol winked. The brothers were distracted by the first bites of their brownies and missed Carol’s display. ****

“Need some help, Belivet?” Phil offered, glancing toward Therese. ****

“No, thanks. I got them.” She turned back toward the house and smiled to herself as she made her way inside. Carol may have had a bad night at mini-golf, but she was certainly more competitive than Therese realized.

* * *

The next day, Carol insisted on a barbecue for the foursome at the lake before the brothers headed back to Portland. Phil offered to help Carol with the grilling. ****

Therese and Dannie deposited the briquets and bags of ice on the picnic table where Carol and Phil busily prepped food. ****

“Why don’t you two get out of here and go relax?” Carol suggested as she shucked ears of corn. ****

“Really?” Therese asked. “Don’t you need our help?” ****

“Carol and I can handle it,” Phil said, unwrapping a rack of ribs. “There’s really not that much to do. You guys can help clean up.” ****

“Ok,” Therese shrugged. “Are you up for a swim?” she asked Dannie. The sun beat down on all the people in, on, and around the lake. ****

“I’m definitely ready to cool off,” Dannie responded, stripping off his t-shirt. Therese did the same, stuffing her shirt and shorts in her backpack and stealing a kiss from Carol before joining Dannie. ****

“Oh, wait.” Dannie pulled his wallet out of his pocket. “Can you put this someplace safe?” He tossed the wallet to Carol who caught it one-handed. She stuffed it into Therese’s open backpack. ****

Dannie and Therese walked down to the dock. Therese jumped in first, and Dannie followed. Swimming away from the dock, Therese marveled at how the top few inches of water had been warmed considerably by the sun while the water a few feet down remained cool and refreshing. She floated on her back for a moment. Righting herself and treading water, she located Dannie who had just surfaced, shaking water from his head and hair. ****

“I can’t believe you guys have to leave tonight. It feels like you just got here.” ****

“I know. I wish we could stay longer, but when you’re a self-employed, small business owner, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.” Dannie sent a splash of water her way. ****

“At least you’re going home to a job,” Therese retorted, splashing him back. ****

Dannie laughed. “I’d offer you a job, but out of rock/paper/scissors, I think your expertise lies with rocks, not scissors.” He laughed as Therese rolled her eyes. “Your hair still looks good though, Belivet.” ****

“Thanks. I really liked the cut you gave me. Am I going to have to drive to Portland every time I need my hair cut?” she joked. ****

“We could always meet somewhere in between,” Dannie suggested. “I’ve gotten to know the drive to Olympia pretty well.” ****

Therese looked at her friend, his knobby shoulders protruding from the water and his hair askew. “Definitely. I need the McElroy brothers in my life.”

* * *

Therese got the text around midnight. ****

“Is everything okay?” Carol inquired from her side of the bed where she reclined comfortably, looking over the top of her black reading glasses, book in hand. ****

Therese rolled back toward her after grabbing her phone from the nightstand. ****

“It’s Dannie.” After many hugs and promises to make time to visit each other, Dannie and Phil had left a few hours earlier. ****

“Is everything okay?” ****

“They just stopped in The Dalles, and he realized he doesn’t have his wallet. He wants to know if I have it.” ****

“I forgot to give it back to him!” Carol gasped. “I tucked it into the bottom of your backpack at the lake. Let me go see if it is still in there.” Carol jumped out of bed. ****

Therese typed a message to Dannie letting him know Carol was checking. ****

“It’s here!” Carol came through the doorway with his wallet in hand. “Tell him I feel so bad.” ****

“Don’t feel bad,” Therese said. “I'm surprised he didn’t realize he was missing it before he left.” She texted Dannie that they had found it. ****

“How are you going to get it to him? Are they going to turn around? That’s so much driving and it’s so late.” Carol slid back into bed. ****

“Hang on,” Therese said. “We’re figuring it out.” Finally, Therese returned her cell phone to the nightstand and nestled in close to Carol. “I’m going to meet him in Leavenworth around 4:00 the day after tomorrow on my way home. He said there’s a place called Renaissance Cafe where we can grab something to eat. I offered to drive to Ellensburg or Yakima, but he insisted on Leavenworth.” ****

 _Home_. Carol stayed silent and pulled Therese closer to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays to all of you. Please stay safe as you celebrate.


	40. The Departure

They did as Carol suggested and made all attempts to enjoy the time they had together as much as they possibly could. Nevertheless, Carol had dreaded this day for some time. She and Therese spent their last night in the park talking and making love in Carol's bed. The sex was good - it always was with Therese - but they didn’t connect intimately like they had in the past. Both were aware of something unspoken and unacknowledged, an unwanted stranger pressing and consuming the small space between them. Therese awoke in the morning and returned to her campsite to finish packing. 

While Carol showered and dressed, she recalled their attempted late-night conversation that got them nowhere. Therese didn’t want to broach the subject on her birthday while on the boat, and Carol didn't blame her, in all honesty. Their time on her parents’ yacht was a heavenly escape from the reality that would soon face them. They spent time wrapped in each other's arms, nestled in their own private and safe cocoon away from the realities of the world. Ever since the night they watched the meteor shower from the dock, they chose to focus on the time they had together. Intentionally or unintentionally, that left them in the position in which they found themselves, neglecting to find time to discuss the situation until the last moment and reaching no conclusion. 

They finally decided to get what sleep they could and talk about things in the morning. Unfortunately, Carol sadly realized that with it, morning only brought sunlight and shadows, not clarity. The fact remained; Therese was leaving, and she would be living hundreds of miles away while Carol stayed at her job in the park.

Carol sat on the edge of the picnic table bench that afternoon and watched Therese load her last few remaining items into her Subaru. Her bike that Carol had helped strap to the top of her car reminded Carol of the ride to the cave and their night together as they weathered the storm in Therese’s tent. She never had taken Therese back to the cave. There just hadn’t been enough time. She quickly looked away as tears sprang to her eyes. 

"People have done long-distance relationships before," Therese said timidly, and not the first time, without looking at Carol.

“Successfully?” Carol asked. “And for how long?” Carol picked at a sharp sliver of wood on the bench. It hurt her thumb, but she continued to pick at it.

“Do you have a better idea?” Therese looked at her with hopeful eyes. 

“Until you finish your thesis,” Carol said, “everything is up in the air. You may decide you don't want to stay in the Seattle area. Perhaps you will get a job offer you can’t refuse somewhere else. 

“Then what?” Therese asked. They looked at each other for a moment before Carol shrugged. 

“I don't know.”

Therese opened the passenger side door and set her laptop on the front seat. Carol stood up and went to her. Cupping Therese's face with both hands, Carol said, “I'm sorry, I don’t have an answer. You have your whole life ahead of you. The last time I checked, much of the Earth was made of rock. You could go anywhere and do anything. I don't want to be the one that holds you back. I told you last night, I will not ask you to give up your education or your career.” Carol saw the start of tears in Therese’s eyes. Therese twisted her face away. Carol let go and took a step back.

“And I won’t ask you to give up the job that you love so much,” Therese said, staring at the ground. “So, what are we going to do?”

Emotions getting to her, Carol let it fly. “I don't know, Therese. You can't just expect me to have all the answers because I'm older.” The fine pointed arrowhead with its razor-sharp, chiseled sides hit its mark, right in the heart. 

“I don't.” Therese scowled, hurt and pain evident on her face. Carol saw tears well in Therese's eyes before she swallowed and spoke in a hoarse voice. “I just hoped you had some idea of what to do because I...” She shook her head side to side, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Carol stood and faced her. “Well, I don't. You should just go back to Seattle. It's pointless to even try to find a solution when you still have your thesis to finish. I have things I need to take care of here. As you know, the fire investigator has more information in his hands regarding Harge now. If somehow Harge gets fired, they are going to need a new head ranger, and I have seniority. I know this park better than anyone.” 

Therese held out her hand, Carol’s house key in her palm. “Here’s your key back.” Carol looked at it and closed Therese’s fingers around it. Therese put it back in her pocket. “So this is how we are leaving it?” 

The sadness and disappointment in Therese’s eyes nearly brought Carol to her knees. She embraced Therese. She knew Therese was crying, and she fought back her own tears. Carol felt something beneath her foot. She wondered if it was her heart, wet and pulsing, dry dirt clinging to its atria and ventricles. She pressed down, hoping to end the pain quickly.

“You should go,” she whispered into Therese's ear. With a kiss to her temple, Carol gently pushed her away.

Quietly sobbing, Therese took a few steps back. She turned and got into her car. Carol stood there watching until Therese drove from the campsite and out of view. Not caring who saw her, Carol sat back down on the picnic bench and sobbing, held her head in her hands for some time, hot tears dropping into the dusty earth below, creating little wet craters. Finally composing herself, she stood and slowly walked back to her house.

* * *

All day long, all Abby could focus on was seeing Carol. Her shift seemed endless, and she had to force herself to focus on her job and not sit staring off in space lost in thought. In the late afternoon heat, she knocked on Carol’s door to assess her condition. This nightmare of a summer was about to be over, and she nearly shook with excitement. How she yearned for things to return to a state of normalcy. She vowed to do her best to hurry it along.

Even though she was personally elated that Therese had finally returned home, Abby knew she needed it to appear she was there to console Carol. While her heart skipped along merrily, she toned down her demeanor and voice to fit the situation.

“It will get easier over time. I promise.” Abby’s platitude fell short. Carol still sat on her sofa staring at the wall. Abby tried again to get a response from her friend. “Who knows what will happen with Harge. I’m sure if he gets sacked, you’ll be first in line for the position. Being busy running the park will keep your mind off of things.”

“Maybe,” Carol answered, her tone just slightly above catatonic. “I don’t even know if I want the position.”

“What do you mean? Haven’t you spent most of the last decade working toward being in charge of the park?” Abby asked incredulously.

“Yes.” Carol pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them.

Irritated, Abby tiptoed outside of the invisible lines she had set for herself. “How did you think it was going to end?” Abby asked. Less than ten minutes in, and she was already growing weary of watching Carol pine for Therese.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I tried not to think about it. When I did, I just kept hoping and praying for some miraculous solution to fall from the sky.” Carol scoffed at her own ineptitude. Meteors crashed and made ruinous craters, not bore brilliant ideas.

Abby tried a different tactic. “Let’s go out back and enjoy some drinks.” Carol had the day off, so neither of them had to work. “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” Abby said cheerily, opening Carol’s refrigerator. She pulled out two ice-cold beers and rummaged through a drawer for a bottle opener. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carol reluctantly get off the couch. Abby handed her a beer before walking out the back door.

“Oh!” Abby stopped short, and Carol ran into her. “I almost stepped on that box. Why did you put it right outside the door?”

“What box?” Carol peered around her. “I didn’t put anything there.” 

Abby picked it up, and Carol immediately recognized it. 

“Give it to me.” She reached out and took the box away before Abby had a chance to open it. Abby stood close by to see what it was. Carol had seen the box on one of the first nights she had spent with Therese. She knew what was inside, but she needed to open it anyway. Strangely, she didn’t want Abby seeing its precious contents. Carol handed Abby her beer. 

“What is it?” Abby asked.

“It’s her rock collection.”

Abby peered at the box. “Rocks? Seriously?” she asked, derisively. “She forgot to take it? Why was it on your back steps?” Abby tried to understand what was going on.

Carol ran her fingers over the wooden top. “She didn’t forget it. She left it on purpose.” 

Carol wished she was alone. She wanted privacy that she was not afforded as she looked at what Therese had left. She unclasped the tiny latch with a fingernail and opened the lid. A folded page ripped from Therese’s notebook lay on top of the rocks. She picked up the piece of paper. Beneath it, all the little square holes held various rocks, except one. Carol did not know which rock was missing from the empty space. Therese must have taken one of the rocks with her. She remembered Therese saying that her dad had brought her many of the rocks from his travels. Perhaps one held an extra-special meaning for her.

Carefully, she opened the note in such a way that Abby could not read it. 

“What? What’s it say?” Abby inquired, despite Carol clearing shielding it from her. 

Carol ignored her, too consumed by Therese’s short message in her neat handwriting. 

> _Carol,_
> 
> _I refuse to say good-bye. Instead, I leave my most treasured possession with the person I treasure the most. Please keep it safe until we are together again._
> 
> _I love you._
> 
> _Yours,_
> 
> _Therese_

Carol had purposely not said those three little words when Therese left in the hopes that it would make their parting easier on the younger woman. A part of her hoped that Therese would go back to Seattle and settle into the life she left behind in the spring. Maybe it would just be simpler that way. Perhaps their summer was just that, and Therese would finish school, find a job, and move on to have a happy and successful life. While it would have made difficult decisions easier, it wasn’t what Carol wanted, and she knew it wasn’t what Therese wanted either. She should have at least told her she loved her. Carol regretted it terribly.

“Oh, God. What have I done?” Sick to her stomach, she closed the box. Carol folded the note in quarters and slipped it into her back pocket.

“What? I don’t get it. What did the note say?” Abby was tired of holding the beers and tired of this unexpected interruption of their afternoon.

“I have to go after her.” Carol tucked the box under one arm and the contents rattled as she turned back into the house to look for her wallet and keys.

“Go after her? You’re not going to catch up to her on the highway. She has too much of a head start. You can’t just drive all the way to Seattle and back. You work tomorrow. Why don't you just text her, or did she lose her phone again?" Abby clumsily threw air quotes around the last four words while still holding the two bottles of beer. She futilely tried to stop the runaway train that was Carol.

However, Carol knew that these moments only came once or twice in a lifetime. “It's not a text or phone call kind of conversation, Abby. I’m not even sure she would answer the phone if she saw me calling after how we parted." Carol just looked at her friend for a moment. Abby got the feeling that Carol did not like what she saw. "I don’t have to chase her all the way to Seattle. I know where I can find her if I hurry.” With keys and wallet in hand and the box under her arm, Carol headed for the front door, barreling through Abby's feeble blockade with ease.

“Carol. Stop.” Abby set the beers down on the counter so hard that they both fizzed over. Carol turned back to look at her, one hand still on the doorknob. “You’re being ridiculous. What point do you think this will prove?”

Carol looked at Abby with blissful eyes, but Abby could tell that Carol did not see her. Carol was somewhere miles away. “Abby, someday you will discover what is like. You will fall so deeply in love with someone that you would do anything for them, anything to be with them. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Someday, you will understand.” Carol opened the front door and left.

Standing in Carol’s living room, Abby knew exactly what Carol meant. Abby knew exactly how it felt. She had loved Carol for a decade and a half. She knew what made Carol tick. She knew that Carol was all she wanted. She knew she must act fast, or Carol might slip away forever. Abby needed to throw a Hail Mary, one last drastic and risky attempt to stop Carol from going to Therese. 

Indeed, desperate times called for desperate measures. She must act quickly. Abby knew exactly what she must do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, folks, this year is just about over and the summer is finally over for these two ladies. Thank you so much for being on this crazy journey with me this year. This story is finally hitting its stride, and I'm excited about where it is going as much as I am excited for 2021 and what the new year will bring. 
> 
> Thank you, as always, to calliesghost for making the time to clean up my literary messes. She's so talented at taking what I'm trying to say and making it neat and concise. <3
> 
> Happy (early) New Year, my friends. 
> 
> Pentimento


	41. The Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're here, finally.

Abby slipped out of Carol’s house and into her RAV4. Time was of the essence. If she didn’t act quickly, Carol wouldn’t know to turn around. If Abby knew anything about Carol, it was that Carol always dropped everything when there was a fire in the park. 

It had come to Abby’s realization that no one looked out for her in life but herself. Her father had disappeared when she was still in elementary school, and her mother had been too busy working two dead-end jobs and spending time with her one true love, vodka, to pay her any attention. Abby had acquaintances, but no one she really called a friend other than Carol. One of the things that she admired about Carol - other than her stunning beauty - was that Carol used to look out for her, making sure to include Abby in friendly gatherings and dragging her to football games and parties during college. Even as co-workers, Carol had taken her under her wing. However, ever since the arrival of that little bitch, Carol had largely ignored her. 

As quickly as she legally could, she drove up State Park Road toward the Deep Lake trailhead where an abundance of brush and grass had grown during wetter weather. Now brown and dry, it was the perfect location. Pulling to the side of the road, she got out and kneeled, using her vehicle to shield her from any passing cars as she opened the box of wooden matches and lit one match. A whiff of sulfur stung her nose as she touched the flaming match to the dry grass in a couple of different areas until the flame got too close to her finger, forcing her to extinguish it with a wave of her hand. The wind blew her hair into her face and made her confident that at least one of the areas had caught well enough to spread, so she jumped back in her car and made a U-turn. She was thankful that no cars had passed her from either direction. Abby had been outside her vehicle for no more than 30 seconds. 

Returning the way she came, she pulled into the small parking lot at Caribou trailhead and parked between two other vehicles. With adrenaline coursing through her system, she made her way up the trailhead that would eventually take her to the top of the cliffs. Impossible to scale the 400-foot cliffs by hiking straight up, she cursed as she traversed the time-consuming switchbacks to the top. From there, she could not only watch the fire, but she would also be able to spot Carol’s truck coming back into the valley.

The steep trail meandered back and forth, but the last few steps were the worst. The muscles in her legs ached and quivered from the climb up the nearly vertical cliff. She gasped for breath, her shirt and bra soaked with sweat. Reaching the top, she sat down heavily and sent a cloud of dust flying over the terrain around her. 

After quickly checking the highway, Abby focused her eyes on the area where smoke billowed thick and black, and excitement flooded through her. As the column of smoke reached the top of the canyon, the wind carried it eastward. She could see bright orange flames consuming the dry shrub-steppe vegetation as the wind quickly pushed the fire along the ground. From her vantage point, the area of blackened earth scorched by the fire grew with each passing minute. She found it beautiful and exhilarating.

Eventually, her breathing began to return to normal. She had moved as quickly as possible, and it should have been enough time. The day was quickly fading. The steep canyon walls made the sun appear to set even earlier than it did above on the scablands, its long shadows already cloaking the area on fire. Ignoring the fire for a moment, Abby’s eyes scanned the highway that descended steeply into the valley. There was little traffic, only a single RV slowly climbing out of the canyon. Unfortunately, no cars descended.

As she held watch, a sudden bout of anxiety attacked without warning, causing her breathing to accelerate rapidly. Worrying, she rolled to one side and pulled the box of matches from her pocket. She still had them. She decided she needed to get rid of the evidence. Abby scanned the highway again. Still, no cars headed southbound into the valley. She swore to herself.

Why hadn’t Carol come back by now? How could she possibly miss this much smoke? The dirty black column continued to balloon upward and had only grown bigger, its topmost reaches trailing off in the wind and turning the air a hazy gray. Surely Carol could see the smoke, even if only through her rearview mirror. Jesus, people in Wenatchee could probably see it.

Abby sat watching and waiting. The smoke’s stench permeated the air around her and probably her hair and sweaty clothes, too. More time passed before Abby heard the wail of a siren. Why wasn’t Carol driving back to help put out the fire? She ran her hands through her hair. Abby didn’t understand. Nausea consumed her. She got up, brushed the dirt off her ass, and tried not to cry. Unable to contain her bitter disappointment any longer, she bent over and vomited onto the ground.

A rattlesnake suddenly rattled behind her, her cue to leave. She spat on the ground, trying to clear her mouth of her stomach’s contents. Dusk began to descend, and she needed to get down the talus slope before she lost all light, or she would risk breaking her ankle, or worse.

However, she had one more thing to do. Hesitating at the top of the trail, she opened the matchbox and admired the row of four perfect wooden matches. The blackened match lay diagonally across the top of them. She decided it was better to get rid of it sooner than later. Walking a few yards off the trail, Abby lifted the edge of a large piece of basalt and dug a shallow hole with her heel, avoiding the scurrying bugs she had disturbed. She dropped the box in the hole and pushed the dirt over it before letting the rock fall back into place. Marking sure the area looked just as it had, she made her way back to the path. 

Carol hadn’t come back. Abby’s huge risk hadn’t paid off. Dazed, she held back tears of hurt and anger as she began her descent. 

* * *

With the low sun in her eyes, Carol drove over the speed limit, trying to make up time without driving so fast she would be pulled over. She couldn’t risk that delay. Therese’s box of rocks and the note she had left for Carol sat on the passenger’s seat, Carol’s hand occasionally coming to rest on top of them. 

Her mind was wandering, images of Therese and their summer together filling her every thought. That’s when she saw it in her rearview mirror: smoke. Carol stared at it for a moment to be certain. 

“Shit!” She slowed down and pulled onto the shoulder before parking her truck as far as possible to the right of the highway on a bare patch of ground. Getting out, she turned to look, her fears confirmed. The black smoke was coming from the park, the fire probably stemming from the northern section. Cars whizzed by her, the force of the gusts they created tearing at her hair and clothing. From the growth of the column of smoke in just the short time she had spent parking on the roadside, she could tell the fire was spreading rapidly. 

“Fuck!” Of all of the times, why was there a fire right now? She turned and kicked her back tire with her toe. She should go back. Lives could be at stake. The rangers would need help gaining control of the fire until the fire department arrived. She had a spare pulaski behind the seats of her truck. Carol didn’t know what to do. Obligation and desire waged a fierce battle within her.

She heard the high piercing scream of the county’s fire engines in the distance. She envisioned their large, yellow bodies barreling down the highway as fast as they could go. The knowledge that they were on their way should have made her feel better, but it didn’t. She should be there. She knew what could happen during one of these fires. She had lived through it, and still lived with its aftermath.

Every minute Carol stood there deciding what to do had effects. On one hand, a fire burned, destroying the park’s landscape and putting lives at risk. On the other hand, the love of her life was slipping further and further away. If she waited any longer, she risked missing Therese in Leavenworth. Missing Therese in Leavenworth had its own consequences.

Carol got back into her truck.


	42. The Chase

It didn’t take Therese long to spot Dannie sitting at a corner table in the Renaissance Cafe. She hoped her eyes weren’t too red. She broke into tears quite a few times since leaving Carol at the campground but spent a few minutes in her car trying to compose herself before coming in. Dannie looked up from his phone as she approached.

“Hey, Therese.” Dannie got up and gave her a hug. “Thanks for meeting me. I hope it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”

“Not at all,” Therese said, dropping her backpack in the empty chair next to her. “I would have met you somewhere closer so you didn’t have to drive as far.”

Dannie shook his head, studying her. “No, I’m the dumbass who forgot his wallet. I wasn’t about to make you go out of your way.” 

Therese pulled his wallet from her backpack and slid it across the table to him. “Where’s Phil?”

“Working. The shop is open today. He said to say hello to you.” The server interrupted them to take their drink orders, and Dannie waited for her to walk away before he spoke. “I say this as your friend - you look awful.”

“Yeah, it didn’t go well.” Therese stared at the table.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I...” Therese gulped back tears she couldn’t seem to keep at bay. “I don’t know if Carol even wants to try to have a relationship. She told me to go home and finish my thesis.”

“Well, that’s kind of the plan, right?” Dannie asked gently. “I’m sure the rather uncertain status of your future is probably difficult for her.”

“Whose side are you on?” Therese growled playfully as she dashed away her tears with a napkin.

“I’m just saying, maybe don’t expect the worst. She’s right that you need to focus on finishing your thesis. When exactly is it due?”

“The first draft is due four weeks into the quarter. The oral comprehensive exam and presentation are later.”

“You do have a lot on your plate, Therese. Maybe she just wants to give you room to concentrate.”

“Then what?” Therese asked, exasperated. “I just can’t read her. It’s like she doesn’t even want to talk about it.”

Dannie ran his fingers through his hair. “Take it easy. I get it. Long-distance relationships are hard. Just keep the lines of communication open while you finish up your schoolwork. Things will figure themselves out one way or another. They always do.”

“I guess I don’t have a choice,” Therese said. The server delivered their drinks and took their orders. 

“I know you’re hurting, but try not to be angry. Remember that Carol is hurting, too,” Dannie added.

“How do you know that?” Therese asked.

Dannie chuckled. “I’ve seen you two together. Trust me, she is hurting. Be gentle with each other over the next couple of months. It will be tough, but give each other the benefit of the doubt.”

Therese nodded.

They continued their meal with less sensitive subjects, namely whether or not Dannie should grow a beard. Dannie was in favor of the change, citing how the fall was a perfect time because it was hunting season, and many hunters didn’t shave until they killed their deer. He argued he would be in fashion. Therese argued that they were gross, scratchy, unruly food receptacles, and he should ask Melanie her opinion.

As they lingered near the door of the cafe to say their goodbyes, Dannie hugged her tightly. “Thank you so much for bringing me my wallet. It was a good excuse to see you again. I’ll have to remember that one,” he joked.

Therese laughed. “I don’t know if seeing me is worth driving that many hours roundtrip, especially after you just saw me, but thank you for trying to cheer me up. Speaking of which, where is your wallet?” 

Dannie patted his back pocket. “Got it.”

“Thanks again for lunch.” She marveled at how lucky she was to make a friend like Dannie. It wasn’t often she made friends with someone with whom she clicked so effortlessly. 

“You’re welcome, T. It’s the least I can do.” Dannie took a step backward. “Remember what I said. Be gentle with each other.” He pointed at her as he took a step backward.

Therese smiled. “Got it. Give Phil my love.” 

* * *

When Carol arrived in Leavenworth, she found it wasn’t difficult to find the Renaissance Cafe, but it took her a few minutes to find street parking. Right in the heart of the Bavarian-esque town, the small cafe resided inside an Alpine-styled building. She did not see Therese’s vehicle.

Carol rushed into the cafe, and when the host asked if she would like a table, she pushed past him, saying she was looking for someone. Her eyes scanned the sparsely-occupied restaurant, but there was no sign of Therese or Dannie. Dejected, Carol made her way back to the front.

“You didn’t find who you were looking for?” the man asked.

“Carol?” Therese stood in a doorway under a sign that said  _ Restroom _ , her backpack slung on one shoulder. 

“Therese.” Carol cautiously approached her. Therese’s eyes were red-rimmed. Carol wondered if she had cried the entire way to Leavenworth.

“Do you want a table… uh… again?” the confused host asked Therese.

“No, thank you,” Carol interjected. “Can we go somewhere and talk?” she asked Therese.

Therese nodded. “I saw a little park close by.” The host handed her a paper bag on her way to the door.

Carol held open the door for her, and they walked in silence to the park. They found a bench and sat down. 

“I thought I had missed you,” Carol admitted. “I didn’t see your car, and I couldn’t find you in the cafe.”

“Why are you here, Carol?” Therese asked. It came out cooler than she intended, but she wanted an answer all the same.

Carol leaned forward, her arms on her legs. She clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling. “Now that I’m here, I don’t know where to begin.”

Therese was about to mention how she still had a long drive ahead of her, but Dannie’s words echoed in her brain, and she remembered to be gentle. She reached her hand out and laid it on Carol’s arm. “Have you eaten? I still have half of my BLT in here.”

To her surprise, Carol sat up. Therese noticed how tired she looked. “Actually, I haven’t eaten anything today. You don’t mind?”

Therese shook her head and handed over the bag. They sat quietly together while Carol ate. When only a few bites remained, Carol set it aside.

“I’m not very good at this,” she said, her eyes following a man and his dog walking across the grass.

Therese waited, not entirely sure what Carol meant.

“There was a fire in the park today.”

“Seriously? Since I left? Did it do much damage?” Therese’s red eyes widened.

Carol shook her head, her blonde hair swinging into her face. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? You didn’t respond?” Therese scowled.

“No, it must have started soon after I left. I saw the black smoke from the highway and pulled over. It looked like it was in the northern part of the part.”

“You saw the park was on fire and didn’t go back?” Therese was incredulous and confused.

Carol turned to look at her. “No. I didn't.”

“You always respond to fires,” Therese said meekly, suddenly understanding what Carol was trying to say.

“Not this time,” Carol said softly. Her hand reached out to caress Therese’s face, a thumb tracing her cheekbone. “I couldn’t.”

“Why?” Therese nearly whispered the question, her eyelids fluttering at the touch, her cheek pressing into Carol’s palm.

“Because of you. I couldn’t go back because I needed to catch up to you, to see you, to talk to you. Before you left, I should have told you things.”

Therese tried to mentally prepare herself for what came next.

Carol held eye contact. “I should have told you that I’m scared. I’m scared because I’m not used to feeling this way.” Her brows furrowed. “I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this way, but that’s what you’ve done to me. And just when I’ve gotten used to feeling this way, suddenly it feels like I’m losing you, and I don’t know what to do. After you left, I realized we didn’t even talk about…” Carol fumbled for the correct wording, “if this is a relationship, and if so, whether we wanted it to be an exclusive one. I began to think about how you might go back to Seattle and decide to go back to Richard or date someone else.”

At this, Therese laughed, a beautiful peal that carried across the small park. “I’m sorry,” she said, covering her smile with her hand. “I didn’t mean to laugh, but I’m never going back to Richard. You don’t have to worry about that, or about me dating other people. There is only one person I want to be in a relationship with.”

Finally, the tears that Carol had been holding back for so long fell. She cupped Therese’s face with both hands. “I don't want to lose you. I am so in love with you.”

Therese’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she smiled sweetly at the woman beside her. “I think I've loved you since you first teased me about staking down my tent.” She wrapped her arms around Carol’s neck, and Carol smiled and pulled her close, their foreheads touching.

“I found your note," Carol whispered. "Thank you. You made me realize how stupid I was being.” Their lips met in a gentle kiss. Therese’s hands moved to either side of Carol’s head. It was soft and slow and full of forgiveness.

Baring in mind they were in public, they reluctantly separated, pulling apart but still staying close to each other on the bench. Therese looked at her earnestly. “A wise man once told me that things have a way of figuring themselves out. I have my thesis and graduation requirements to finish, and I do need to focus on that. He also reminded me that this separation is difficult for both of us, so we should be gentle with each other.”

Carol’s lips turned up in a half-smile. “Dannie is such a smart man.” Therese grinned. Carol became serious again. “So, let’s make a plan. Can we promise not to stress or try to figure anything out until your thesis and graduation requirements are finished? Let’s wait and see where everything is then.”

Therese slowly nodded. “We can still talk and text, right?” 

“Of course,” Carol said. She ran her fingers through Therese’s hair. “I’m going to miss you so much. It is going to feel strange not having you around.

“I’m going to miss you, too." She squeezed Carol's hand. "I should go. Thank you for coming after me and finding me. It means more than you know. I’m going to leave before I start crying again,” Therese said, standing. Carol stood up, too. “I love you,” Therese whispered, closing the distance between them to kiss her park ranger goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4,000+ comments... you crazy kids. <3


	43. The Descent

Disappointed and despondent, Abby finally made her way back to the valley floor. She descended the steepest part of the cliffs quickly but carefully, worried about being caught on the sheer, unstable rock face in the darkness.

Heartbroken and in disbelief, she tried to understand the events of the last few hours. She had truly believed Carol would come back. Abby risked everything. In her great gamble to shoot the moon, she failed. She failed because Therese Belivet was holding one heart, the heart that mattered.

Her route dumped her back on the Caribou trail that ran between the cliff she had just descended and another. The rest of the way out had less change in elevation, although the trail’s uneven surface gave some cause for concern. Still able to smell the smoke as the last light faded, she directed her eyes to the ground in front of her so she would notice any exposed roots or stones she might trip over. 

When the trail curved left and she rounded the cliff’s edge, it took her a moment to see the two stationary figures. They waited for her in the twilight. With the steep trail and dark cliffs behind her and two armed rangers in front of her, she had little choice but to keep walking toward them. 

“Hey, what’s up, guys?” Abby called, as nonchalantly as she could. As she came closer, she made out Louise and Jack. Everything about their body language said they meant business. They waited for her near the trailhead, their vehicles parked on the roadside near where Abby left her RAV4. Louise glowered at her. Jack avoided direct eye contact although his eyes never left her. “What’s going on?” she asked again, trying to sound chipper.

Finally, Jack spoke authoritatively. “I need you to put your hands in the air.”

“Jack, what is going on?” Abby continued to walk toward them.

“Put your fucking hands in the air!” Louise yelled, her hand moving to rest on her weapon.

Abby reluctantly raised her hands. “Jesus, what is this about? Can’t a woman take a walk in peace?”

As she approached, Jack met her and began to pat her down. Glaring at her the entire time, Louise began to recite the Miranda warning.

“Abigail Gerhard, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.”

“What’s this about? This is all a huge mistake. Jack, Louise, we’re friends! Why are you doing this?” Abby pleaded.

Louise never broke her verbal stride. “You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand each of these rights I have explained to you?"

Abby shot daggers at her. 

"You know I need a verbal answer."

"Of course, I fucking understand them." Abby mockingly spat at her. "I don’t know what you think is going on, but you got this all wrong."

Jack finished his pat-down and cuffed her.

"Having these rights in mind, Ms. Gerhard, do you wish to talk to us?" Louise asked.

"Fuck off."

They walked her back to the parking lot between them in silence, each holding onto one of her arms. What Abby hadn't noticed in the darkness now became apparent; they were not alone. Her RAV4 partially obscured another vehicle, a dark SUV. The doors opened and a man and a sandy-haired, pre-teen boy emerged. As they met near the back of the vehicle, the man protectively put his arm around the boy. 

“Hon, is this the person you saw earlier?” Louise asked gently.

_ Saw _ ? No vehicles or pedestrians had passed her. Suddenly, Abby remembered the tower viewer mounted telescopes up near the Interpretive Center that allowed visitors to take in the scenic vista. Had the boy had one of the telescopes aimed right at her? Still, her parked vehicle should have provided her cover.

The boy, eyes wide, looked up at his father. His father squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay to tell them, son.”

“Yes,” he managed to say, looking down at his shoes.

“And are any of these vehicles the car you saw her driving?” Louise asked. Besides Abby’s RAV4 and the SUV, two other vehicles - a truck and a small sedan - occupied the small parking lot.

Blood pounded in Abby’s ears. This must be a nightmare. With arms pinned behind her, she pinched the tender skin on the inside of her wrist between two fingernails and tried to force herself to wake up. It didn't work.

The boy pointed at Abby’s vehicle. “She was driving that one. There wasn’t any smoke before she parked, but when she drove away, there was smoke.”

For the second time that day, bile shot upward through her digestive tract. It was worse than Abby thought.

* * *

When Carol returned to her home that night, she could see the glow of a cell phone reflected on someone's face in the darkness on her small porch. Pulling into her driveway, she recognized Jeanette as the person sitting on her front steps.

“Jeanette, are you alright?” Carol asked. Jeanette stood and they met halfway down the short sidewalk. Carol noticed she had her portable radio with her. “Aren’t you on duty?”

“Something happened tonight, Carol. I wanted to be the one to tell you in person.” Even in the dark, Jeanette could see Carol steel herself for the bad news, a scene she seemed forced to replay far too many times. “Abby has been arrested.”

“What?” Carol’s voice rose. “What has she been arrested for?” Carol had a million questions, but even as tired as she was, she had enough sense to give Jeanette time to talk.

“There was a fire today.”

“I know. I saw it from the highway as I was driving to meet Therese.”

“Arson, Carol,” Jeanette said grimly. “She was arrested for arson. Apparently, she set the fire today.” Seeing Carol’s shock, Jeanette took her arm. “Let’s go inside, and I’ll fill you in.”   


Jeanette told her how a young visitor at the Interpretive Center perched high on the canyon wall had happened to be using a camera with a telephoto lens, a birthday present from his father. He had seen Abby and her car at the location of the fire right before the smoke was seen.

“What was she thinking?” Carol asked rhetorically. Abby? Not Abby. Abby was her best friend. She had known Abby forever. Would Abby really do something so sinister?

“Carol, I don’t think Abby is herself. She’s been different this summer. Obviously, she wasn’t thinking straight. People in their right minds don’t intentionally start fires.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

Jeanette shook her head. “No, but they could have been. It damaged the area up by the Deep Lake trailhead pretty good. It took the crews quite a while to get a fire line around it with the wind kicking up.”

“Did anyone ask her why she lit the fire?” Carol asked, still trying to come to grips with the events of the day.

“From what Louise told me, she denied she started it, but from what I hear, there may be photos. I’m sure the only person she will be talking to about it will be her attorney.” Jeanette touched Carol on her shoulder. “Wasn’t today the day Therese went home?”

Carol nodded, her face crumpling as she tried not to break down. Jeanette rubbed her shoulder gently.

“I don’t know how to ask this, but do you think there is a chance that Abby started the fire to get your attention? I’ve thought for some time that she has feelings for you.”

Carol leaned forward placing her face in her hands. Jeanette seemed to take that as an answer and silently comforted her with a hand on her back. It all made sense. Abby’s attempt to prevent her from going after Therese, her knowledge of Carol’s past regarding fires and Carol’s habit of obsessively rushing to them, and most of all - the timing. When Carol finally sat up and leaned back against the couch, Jeanette stood up.

“I’m sorry," Carol said.

“Don’t be. It’s a lot to take in. Don’t you dare be hard on yourself. This isn’t your fault,” she lovingly scolded. “I hate to leave you, but I need to get back to the office.”

Carol nodded. “Do you need a ride?”

“No, thank you, dear. I parked in the lot across the street. I didn’t want to block your driveway.” Jeanette picked up her phone and radio. 

“What about Abby’s shifts?” Carol asked.

“Harge plans to cover the shifts himself until he can hire someone. I guess we’ll see who knows how to use technology and who doesn’t." She winked, her hand on the doorknob. "Get some rest, dear.”

“Thanks, Jeanette.”

Even though she badly wanted to hear Therese’s voice, to allow her to take some of the burden of what she had learned, Carol knew involving Therese would only prove to be an unnecessary distraction for the younger woman. Therese certainly didn’t need to worry about Carol’s problems with everything she had going on at the moment. Carol would tell her in time. Carol had lived through worse nightmares by herself before. She could weather one more storm. Still, she wished for nothing more than to call the woman she loved, cry and tell her what happened - how her best friend had done the unthinkable - and let Therese’s sweet voice console her until she drifted to sleep. Carol already felt the vacuum of her absence, and it had only been a few hours without her. Instead, she went to the kitchen for something cold to drink.

A thought struck her. She put her hand on the handle of the kitchen drawer in front of her, needing to know, but not exactly wanting the answer. It was a junk drawer where she kept her wine key, bottle opener, playing cards, extra batteries, and her box of matches. She slowly pulled open the drawer. The matches were missing, just as deep in her heart she knew they would be.

Carol wondered exactly when she lost her best friend.


End file.
